If you’re looking to grill some burgers this weekend, try turkey burgers as an alterative to beef. This recipe has south-of-the-border flavors with cumin, herbs, garlic, avocado and tomato on whole grain buns. Add ancho chili mayonnaise instead of the usual mustard or ketchup for one great burger.

Although traditional beef burgers may be an American institution, I don’t enjoy them because I’m not a beef-eater. Now a turkey burger is a different thing. Those I enjoy, but there are a few things to understand when buying ground turkey.

When purchasing ground turkey, there are multiple options at the store. The amount of fat in ground turkey varies depending on what goes into the grinder, and fat content controls the flavor and moisture of your burger. You need to read the labels and ask questions if purchasing from a butcher counter.

About Ground Turkey

Ground turkey can be very lean from all ground breast meat with almost no fat, to lean with a mixture of breast and thigh meat, or all thigh meat. Some of these mixes have added turkey skin, which increases fat content. Know what you are working with and you can achieve flavorful, moist turkey burgers that fit your nutritional needs.

If you buy the leanest ground turkey breast with almost no fat, you’ll need to add a little olive oil to the mixture or you risk ending up with dry burgers. Frankly, that’s not what I choose for my burgers. I prefer a breast and thigh meat combination or all thigh meat for more moisture and flavor.

A Better Burger

For a generous burger, I use 6 ounces (168 grams) of ground turkey per person. That much protein in a burger (approximately 34 grams) and a tossed green salad or grilled vegetables make a good meal. If you plan to add other side dishes, you might consider making thinner burgers of 4 ounces each.

To spice up your burgers with south-of-the-border flavor, add ground cumin, garlic, chopped fresh orgegano and chives, salt and pepper. Depending on the turkey mix that you purchase, you may need a little olive oil for healthy fat and flavor.

Now to the rest of the burger. Choose whole grain burger buns for more fiber and better nutrition than white burger buns. I buy a smaller organic whole grain buns made by Rudi’s Bakery. They are also great for sandwiches with chicken or egg salad.

Top off Your Burger with Fresh Flavors

To top off the grilled turkey burger, add a slice of fresh tomato, a thin ring of sweet onion, a few slices of avocado and be sure to make the ancho chili sauce. It’s a combination of reduced fat mayonnaise (I love Vegenaise for the clean, light taste), lime juice, ancho chili powder, paprika, plus salt and pepper. Want some heat? Add a little ground chipotle, tobasco or Sriracha.

Grill your burgers until done (160-165 in the center) and serve with grilled vegetables or a tossed green salad for a healthy summer dinner.

Spiced Turkey Burgers with Ancho Chili Sauce

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Turkey burgers are a good alternative to traditional beef burgers. Add flavor with herbs and spices, a flavorful chili dressing, avocado and tomato slices, packed into a whole grain bun and you have one great burger. Serve with grilled vegetables or a tossed green salad.

Servings: 2 (scales up easily)

Ingredients

• 12 ounces ground turkey, preferably breast and thigh combination or thigh
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, depending on your turkey mix (optional)

Burger Toppings

• 2 slices ripe tomato
• 2 thin slices red or spring onion
• 2-4 slices of avocado
• A few leaves of green or red lettuce
• 2 whole grain burger buns

Ancho Chili Sauce

• ½ cup reduced fat Vegenaise or mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon ground ancho chili powder (or a chili powder blend)
• 1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed  lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• For heat, add  a little ground chipotle, Tabasco or Sriracha (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine ground turkey, cumin, garlic, parsley, oregano, chives, salt, pepper and olive oil if you are using ground breast. Mix well but gently with your hands. Form into patties, cover with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours.
2. While the burger patties are chilling and resting, make the ancho chili sauce and refrigerate until serving. The recipe will make more than you need. Extra is good on a sandwich or as dip for raw vegetables.
3. Fire up the grill (or a grill pan) until hot. Make sure the grill is brushed clean, then coated with a grill-safe spray or a little oil on a wad of paper towels with tongs. Turn heat down to medium and add your burgers. Grill on one side until browned and grill marks have formed. Turn the burger and finish cooking until they reach 160-165 in the center with a digital thermometer. They will feel firm but not hard.
4. To build your burgers, place lettuce on the bottom of the bun, add the burger, and top with tomato, onion, sauce and avocado.

The fresh air off the Pacific Ocean cleared not only our lungs but also our heads. Camped on a grassy hill above a sandy beach, glass of wine in hand, we relaxed and watched the waves roll in. That was Friday evening as we joined friends for a picnic dinner. I packed this healthy Greek pasta salad to share.

A friend invited us to join her and her husband in their new Friday evening ritual – a picnic dinner overlooking the ocean. They go to this jewel of a park not far from home and watch the sunset. What a perfect way to get out of the house and let the craziness of the week fade away. Let the weekend begin.

Fresh Greek Flavors

Filled with sweet grape tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, Greek Kalamata pitted olives, artichoke hearts, light feta cheese and a lemon-oregano vinaigrette, this pasta salad is flavor-packed and healthy. For the pasta, I use an organic corn-quinoa blend pasta that is gluten-free, so people with wheat allergies can enjoy it*. Although we don’t follow a gluten-free lifestyle, this pasta just tastes terrific. Plus it’s a beautiful, bright golden yellow color. To dress the salad, I make a light, lemony vinaigrette with fresh oregano and mint.

Pasta Options

If you are not familiar with quinoa, it’s considered The Mother Grain of the Inca Indians. Quinoa is grown high in the rugged Andes mountains of Peru and is an excellent high-protein, gluten-free grain to incorporate into any healthy diet.

The pasta I use is a corn-quinoa blend made by Ancient Harvest. Check out their website for information about quinoa. Being a blend, I searched for the corn-quinoa ratio and found it’s not something they share. The good thing is since it’s organic, the corn is non-GMO. I cooked my pasta for 9 minutes, then rinsed in cool water and tossed with a little of the vinaigrette.

You can also use a whole wheat elbow or fusilli pasta for this recipe. The brand I prefer for organic whole wheat pasta is DeLallo, available at many grocery stores or online.

Complete the Picnic Plan

To transport, I packed my salad in 4 individual containers with tight fitting lids. That way each person had their own portion ready to enjoy and the containers fit easily into my picnic basket. I like the OXO containers because their tops do not leak and they are BPA-free. The 30 ounce rectangular size worked great. Pack extra vinaigrette in a smaller container.

For a more substantial dinner, I packed skewers of grilled shrimp. I grilled them at home just before we left, wrapped them in aluminum foil, then plastic wrap to transport. Grilled chicken would be another great option. Both can be served cool or chilled.

To start your picnic, make homemade hummus. My recipe has lemon and cumin for lots of flavor. It’s easy to make in a food processor. Serve with raw assorted veggies, again easy to pack. To end the meal on a sweet note, pack fresh strawberries and a little dark chocolate to nibble on. Only toothpicks and fingers are required. For an alternative beverage to wine, try homemade lemonade or iced tea and always take water.

Pack plenty of napkins, recyclable or reusable utensils and cups, folding beach chairs or a blanket to sit on, a jacket if it’s going to get cool, something to carry trash home, and maybe a flashlight if you are staying until dark.

Whether you are picnicking in your back yard, at a park or at the beach, this Greek Pasta Salad is good to have in your recipe arsenal as we head into Memorial Day weekend and other fun-filled summer opportunities for getting outside and enjoying.

Greek Pasta Salad

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This Greek pasta salad is filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, feta cheese and a lemon-oregano vinaigrette. It packs easy for a picnic at the park or beach. Team it with grilled chicken breast or grilled shrimp for a more substantial meal. For people with wheat allergies, use a gluten-free pasta such as a corn-quinoa blend or other g-free pasta.

Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 if just a side

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

• 4 tablespoons of good quality olive oil (I like to use lemon)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped oregano
• 1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped mint
• salt and pepper to taste

Salad

• 8 ounces (227grams) elbow  or fusilli pasta, gluten-free corn-quinoa blend or whole wheat
• 3-4 small Persian cucumbers, quartered and diced
• 18 grape tomatoes, halved
• 4-6 ounces light feta cheese, cubed small
• 20 Greek Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1 15 ounce (397 grams) can small artichoke hearts packed in water (not oil), drained and halved
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives, optional

Directions

1. First make the vinaigrette by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and add additional lemon juice or oil, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Add a tablespoon of salt, then add the pasta. Cook according to package directions (I cook quinoa pasta the full 9 minutes).  Drain and toss with a little vinaigrette. When the pasta is cool, add the cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olives, artichoke hearts and chives (if using). Toss with another tablespoon or two of the vinaigrette. Chill until ready to eat.

“Please note that this recipe has not been reviewed by FAI or medical experts. Avoidance is the only accepted course of treatment for food allergy. Always verify ingredients or food products by checking with the manufacturer and/or your physician to ensure that any foods are safe for your unique allergy issues.”.

Other Helpful Links:

How to pack a safe picnic from My Recipes

How to pack the perfect picnic, from eHowFood

Pack the perfect picnic basket, from Organic Authority

OXO container set on Amazon

More information on GMO foods and the non-GMO shopping guide

She taught me to scramble eggs, make perfect white sauce and chicken soup. How I miss being in the kitchen with my mom. In her honor, I’m making her favorite shrimp salad for Mother’s Day – the classic Shrimp Louie.

The best thing you can give your mom on Mother’s Day is your time. Don’t spend all day in the kitchen. Spend time with her by being present. This shrimp salad, a west coast classic, is easily assembled for a terrific Mother’s Day lunch. You’ll spend minimal time in the kitchen. Gather your ingredients the day before, hard boil a few eggs, make the dressing and you’re practically ready.

If you asked my mom where she wanted to go for lunch, she’d say The Original Fish Company in Los Alamitos, CA. She loved to order the seafood and avocado Louie salad. In her honor, I’ve created my version of the recipe using the classic components.

Easy Assembly, Healthy Salad

Often done with pricey Dungeness crab, bay shrimp is an economical and perfect option for this salad. And since you can buy cooked bay shrimp at most seafood counters and markets, it saves you time.

To create the salad you’ll need sturdy lettuce green like romaine, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, shrimp and the traditional dressing. I like to add crisp, sweet Persian cucumber slices and a few asparagus spears for crunch and color.

According to The Food Lovers Companion, the classic Louie dressing is a combination of mayonnaise, chili sauce, cream, scallions, green peppers, lemon and seasonings. My variation uses Vegenaise  (my favorite mayo for it’s light, clean taste). I skip the green peppers (because my family won’t touch them) and skip the cream to reduce fat.

If You Can Take the Heat

To give the dressing some interest and kick, I use Sriracha, a prepared Asian hot chili sauce. It’s available in most markets. Use it sparingly, unless you can take the heat. It’s really hot (at least for me, I’m a heat wimp). This dressing is so good, while we are shooting the photo I couldn’t stop dipping cucumber slices in it and eating them, so it works as a good dip for raw veggies too.

If you are a heat lover, see the link below for a homemade Sriracha sauce recipe from our friends Todd Porter and Diane Cu. They publish the White on Rice Couple. If you are heat averse, use ketchup.

This Mother’s Day, spend time with your mom instead of in the kitchen. Relax together, share old memories and create new ones. And by all means, take photos. She won’t be around forever.

Me and Mom in the kitchen, 2005

Mom’s Favorite Shrimp Salad

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This classic west coast shrimp salad is easily assembled for a terrific lunch, brunch or picnic.  Gather your ingredients the day before. Hard boil some eggs, wash the lettuce, and make your dressing. A crusty roll or garlic toast make a nice accompaniment. Start with half of the Sriracha if you are heat sensitive, add more after you taste the dressing. The dressing makes a great dip for raw veggies too.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1 cup (8 ounces/135 g) reduced fat Vegenaise or your favorite light mayonnaise
• 4 tablespoons (32 gr) finely chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons (6 gr)  finely chopped chives
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• 4 teaspoons (24 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons (5-6 ml) chili sauce, like Sriracha (more if you like heat, less if you don’t)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons milk (optional to thin the dressing if desired)

Salad

• 2-3 hearts of romaine lettuce (size varies, enough for 4 people)
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked bayshrimp
• 4 hard boiled eggs (for method, here is my recipe)
• 16  sweet grape tomatoes, washed and slice in half
• 1 large ripe avocado, quartered
• 3-4 small Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, sliced thin
• 12 spears of asparagus (optional, but nice)
• lemon wedges, optional

Directions

1. One day ahead -Make the dressing and refrigerate, covered. Hard boil eggs if needed, cool, peel and refrigerate. Directions on how to hard boil eggs are in my Deviled Eggs post.
2. Clean romaine leaves (if not pre-washed) and wrap loosely in paper towels placed in a zip bag to remain crisp. For asparagus spears, snap off the ends. Drop into boiling salted water and cook for 2 minutes depending on their thickness, until just tender when pierced with a sharp paring knife. Chill in a bowl of ice water immediately to stop the cooking process. Drain and refrigerate.
3. 2) The day of serving, chop romaine leaves across for the salad base. Save a few leaf tops for a nice presentation if desired. Place romaine on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Top the greens with sliced avocado, tomatoes, egg quarters, and asparagus spears. Toss the shrimp with a little dressing. Place on top of the salad. Serve extra dressing on the side. If you want to thin the dressing for pouring, use a little milk. 

Other Fun Links:

History of classic salads and dressings, a fun read and good one to bookmark.

For you chili heads who love the heat, here’s a recipe for homemade Sriracha chili sauce from our the White On Rice Couple

Check out the products from Follow Your Heart and pick up some Vegenaise. It’s really terrific.

Berries and vinegar might sound like odd partners, but they’re actually wonderful together. When you combine sweet spring strawberries with a reduction of Balsamic vinegar, the flavors are fantastic, making for an easy and healthy dessert.

By the side of my stove sits a platter filled with basic things that I use constantly in cooking. Olive oil, grape seed oil, a variety of salt and pepper, and a little squeeze bottle filled with an intensely flavored brown syrup. That syrup is Balsamic vinegar reduced with a little brown sugar. Its useful in so many ways.

• Squirt over roast green beans and onions or other roast vegetables to dress before serving
• Add a squiggly line to dress a plate, like in a fancy restaurant
• Drip it onto toasted baguette smeared with soft goat cheese for an appetizer (add figs if in season)
• Use it as a sauce for roast or grilled salmon or chicken
• Garnish pureed soups
• Squirt over a classic Caprese salad of sliced tomatoes, mozzarella and basil leaves with some good olive oil
• Drizzle over fresh, sweet strawberries for a fantastic and healthy dessert (over vanilla ice cream too)

Balsamic vinegar comes in a range of prices and qualities from the cheap imitation stuff to highly prized, aged bottles. For a reduction, choose at the lower end of the price scale but still a decent quality. And be sure to read the label. You don’t want to buy a bottle with caramel coloring or anything added. One label I read had a warning label that it contained lead. I buy organic balsamic vinegar. The Whole Foods 365 brand is good and inexpensive, but there are many options.

Simply reduce Balsamic vinegar by half, simmering in a small saucepan with a little brown sugar. As the vinegar reduces, it thickens. It will thicken further upon cooling into a syrup. Pour into a squeeze bottle or a small jar with a tight lid. No refrigeration is needed.

For strawberries, I prefer to buy organic.  They taste better and reduce your exposure to pesticides. If you can only find conventionally grown strawberries, the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks. The Environmental Working Group publishes an annual Shoppers Guide to highlight which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic. You can reduce your pesticide exposure by avoiding what the EWG lists on their “dirty dozen” list. The “clean fifteen” list is there too.

Strawberries with Balsamic Reduction

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Reduce Balsamic vinegar with a little brown sugar and you get a fantastic, intensely flavored syrup that’s versatile in many dishes from salads to entrees, side dishes and even dessert. I keep a squeeze bottle ready to use by my stove. Here, it’s paired with sweet strawberries for a simple, healthy dessert.

Yield: 1 cup, 8 ounces (240ml) of syrup

Servings: 4 with strawberries and about 2-3 teaspoons Balsamic reduction per person

Ingredients

• 2 cups (500ml) decent quality organic Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon organic brown sugar

1 full dry pint of strawberries, washed and quartered

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, place vinegar and bring to a boil. Turn it down to a strong simmer, add sugar, and reduce by half to one cup. Watch so it does not burn or reduce too far. Stir or whisk occasionally. Allow to cool. It will thicken further upon cooling. Place in a squeeze bottle or small jar with a tight fitting lid.

If using the syrup to top strawberries, place washed and sliced berries in a bowl or wine glass and drizzle with syrup. Serve immediately. 

More Helpful Links:

A great article and photos from a visit to Modena, Italy, where real Balsamic is produced, by David Lebovitz.

Some fun history on Balsamic vinegar

Fig, Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Crostini with Balsamic Reduction

Gougere – the irresistible French cheese puffs. They are great with a glass of wine. I make mine with lots of Parmesan cheese and finely chopped chives. If the French name is too difficult, call them what I do – Golden Parmesan Puffs.  Easy to make, but impressive.

Do you remember the first time you bravely attempted a new technique, a new recipe? I still remember making gougere (goo-zhare) for the first time. It was strange how the pastry dough came together, but it worked beautifully. Once you make these Golden Parmesan Puffs you’ll have another recipe in your collection for entertaining family and friends, or just for enjoying yourself after a long day.

Making Choux Pastry or Pate a Choux

The formal name for this pastry dough is choux (shoo) pastry or pate a choux (pot-ah-shoo). Bring milk and butter to a boil, dump in flour, and stir like mad until the dough pulls away from the side of the pan. Add eggs, one at a time and again, stir like mad until they are well incorporated and the dough smooths out.

The pastry will look odd while you stir. At first it looks curdled and slippery from the eggs and you wonder if it will come together. Suddenly it does, and forms a smooth pastry dough.

Add cheese and chives, then stir some more.  You’ll have a thick, savory dough to portion out and bake.

I’ve piped them and dropped dollops with spoons in the past. Now I use what’s called a disher. A disher is a tool I can’t live without in my kitchen. I have 5-6 sizes of them for various tasks. They make portion control and handling ingredients easy. For small puffs I use a #40 disher that is 1 ½” across.

Choose Your Flour

For flour, I’ve tested three types: organic white whole wheat, organic whole wheat pastry, and a gluten-free blend called Cup4Cup. All three came out great. The difference between white whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour is the type of wheat;  a hard wheat versus a soft wheat. Pastry flour is a soft wheat which contains less gluten and provides a more tender baked good.

As I’ve moved away from white flour, I prefer organic whole wheat flour to bring whole grain nutrition to recipes. Both Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur make great products. They are widely available these days, so trade in your white flour for white whole wheat and whole wheat pastry flour. If you can’t find them in stores, order off the internet. Links for flours are below.

For Gluten-Free Bakers

For gluten-free gougere I tested with Cup4Cup (C4C) gluten-free flour. The dough looks little different as it forms but the process is the same.The gougere came out great. After three test batches, here are the changes from the standard recipe. Substitute 1/2 cup (78 grams) of the C4C for the regular flour.  Bake at 350 degrees (177 C) until just golden. Time will depend on your ovens as they can vary.

The gluten-free batch did not puff  as did the wheat gougere, but they tasted terrific and will be appreciated by anyone following a gluten-free diet.

My last and best batch took about 20-25 minutes. They were golden on the outside and done but a tiny bit moist on the inside. My friend and gluten-free baking expert, Dr. Jean Layton, told me that g-free flours based on cornstarch (as is C4C) result in baked goods that tend to dry out a little more quickly. So that little bit of moistness is probably good. The next day, they were perfect.

Gougere – Golden Parmesan Puffs (regular and gluten-free)

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These smell so good when they are baking you will have a hard time not devouring them as soon as they come out of the oven! Small ones are great alongside a glass of wine. Choose from baking three flour options: white whole wheat, whole wheat pastry or gluten-free. I prefer organic flours for baking. You’ll need baking parchment for this recipe.

Yield: 12 small puffs, about 4 servings as an appetizer. Recipe doubles easily

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) low fat milk
• 2 ounces  (57 grams) unsalted butter
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (65 grams), or whole wheat pastry flour (72 grams) or Cup4Cup
• 2 large eggs (l had xl in the house this time)
• 2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (plus a little extra for sprinkling on top)
• 1 tablespoons (2-3 grams) finely chopped chives
• Equipment – parchment paper

Directions

Note: Ready all ingredients and tools before you start as this goes quickly.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Place butter in a medium saucepan and melt over low heat. When butter is melted, add the milk, turn heat to high and bring to a boil. When the milk and butter get to a full boil, dump in the flour and salt all at once. Turn heat down to medium-low and stir like mad with a wooden spoon. Stir, beat and fold until the pastry pulls away  from the sides of the pan, 2 minutes. Remove the pastry to a medium bowl and cool 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring energetically after each one until completely incorporated. Although it may look strange in process, the pastry will come together. Stir in the cheese and chives.
3. With a #40 disher, piping bag with plain tip or tablespoon, drop portions of pastry onto parchment lined baking sheets (or use a silicone mat). Sprinkle a little extra Parmesan on top if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Check the puffs early and watch them as ovens and timing vary. Allow puffs to stand for a few minutes after baking.

Serve immediately or cool completely and place in an airtight container. Puffs can be made a day ahead and served at room temperature or warmed in the oven for a few minutes.

*Please note that this recipe has not been reviewed by FAI or medical experts. Avoidance is the only accepted course of treatment for food allergy. Always verify ingredients or food products by checking with the manufacturer and/or your physician to ensure that any foods are safe for your unique allergy issues.

Helpful Links:

Information on flours from King Arthur

Information on flours from Bob’s Red Mill

Cup4Cup gluten-free flour, available at Williams-Sonoma (as I test other blends I’ll make notes)

Gougere recipe by Dorie Greenspan and from Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen. Note, gougere made with white flour do look a little different than a recipe made with whole wheat. Choose what is best for you.

Another gougere recipe from Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks, she makes hers with beer and milk.

Zeroll EZ Disher size #40

Rimmed baking sheets. Can’t live without these in my kitchen. Half size and quarter size are the most versatile.

Pre-cuts sheets of baking parchment. These are not only for baking. You will find many uses for them and one pack lasts a long time.

Mother Nature can be schizophrenic in the spring. Sunny and warm one day, raining and cold the next. What’s a cook to do? Go for a classic dish like beef and vegetable stew. Filled with chunks of top sirloin, carrots, tomatoes and herbs, this melt-in-your-mouth dish is a favorite with my beef-eating clients.

Done in a pressure cooker, this stew takes about 30 minutes instead of hours, getting dinner on the table fast. You can also make it 2-3 days ahead and refrigerate it or freeze it.

Beef stew recipes often use what is called stew meat; a cubed mix of tougher cuts sold at many meat counters.  My choice for stew is the more tender top sirloin. I’ve increased the vegetable content with lots of carrots, tomatoes, celery and onion and added Better Than Bullion concentrate for rich beefy flavor.

Save Time with a Pressure Cooker

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, it’s a worthwhile addition to your kitchen. When not being used as a pressure cooker, it works like any other pot. When you feel the need for speed, the lid can be locked on and the time it takes to cook soups, stews, rice, beans and many other dishes is greatly reduced. In a time-starved cooking schedule, a pressure cooker can be your best friend.

Prep Work and Cooking

Trim your meat into large chunks, about 1 ¼’. Trim off any extra fat. Brown the meat and set aside. Cook onion, celery and garlic until soft. Add red wine and reduce. Add herbs, spices, beef bullion and browned beef. Lock the lid on and bring to high pressure. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow the pressure to drop naturally. This will take just a few minutes. For the carrots, I find when they are cooked with the meat they get too soft and almost fall apart. Cook them in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes while the stew is cooking. Drain and add the carrots after the stew is done. For the tomatoes, they disintegrate in the pressure cooker, so I add them with the carrots at the end. They retain more of their shape and warm quickly when being added to the piping hot stew.

Serve in a bowl by itself or over whole wheat pasta or rice noodles for gluten free. Finish with a little fresh parsley for a nice shot of green color and fresh flavor.

Equipment note – I use Fagor pressure cookers. You will need at least a 6 quart model. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3 days or can be frozen.

Beef and Vegetable Stew with Rosemary

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Using a pressure cooker greatly reduces the time it takes to get a satisfying beef and vegetable stew on the dinner table. Top sirloin is my choice for meat, with lots of vegetables and herbs for great flavor. Serve over whole wheat pasta or rice noodles. Serves: 2 (doubles easily)

Ingredients

• 1 pound (450 grams) top sirloin, trimmed of fat and cut into large cubes, about 1 ¼”
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil (or butter)
• 1 cup (150 grams) diced onion 2 large ribs celery, diced small
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced fine (or use a garlic press)
• ½ cup (120 ml) dry red wine 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 generous tablespoon Better Than Bullion, preferably the organic version (see note below)
• ½ cup (120 ml) water
• ¾ pound (340 grams) carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 15 ounces (411 grams) canned diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Equipment: 6-8 quart pressure cooker

Directions

1. Add oil to pot over medium heat and brown the cubed beef. When beef is brown, remove to bowl along with the juices and set aside.
2. Add the onions and celery to the pot. If it seems dry, add another teaspoon or two of oil. Cook onions and celery over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook another 1 minute.
3. Add wine and cook down for a minute or two. Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, paprika, bay leaf, pepper, and Better Than Bullion.
4. Lock the lid on and bring the pressure cooker to high pressure. When the gauge goes up, turn heat to low and set timer for 20 minutes.
5. While stew is cooking, bring a medium pot filled with water to a boil. Salt the water and add carrots.  Cook carrots for approximately 4 minutes, or until tender. Cooking time will depend on the size of your carrots. Drain and set carrots aside. When stew has completed pressure cooking, turn heat off and slide pan to a cool burner.
6. Allow the pressure to come down naturally. It will take about 7-8 minutes. When the gauge drops, open lid away from you, being careful of the steam. Add the warm carrots, drained tomatoes and chopped parsley. Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate for enjoying later.

Stew will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days and freezes well.

Ingredient note – Although Better Than Bullion provides great flavor, it is not a product I use often because of some concerns with their ingredients. The organic version is better than the regular version, which I don’t use, but the organic version does still have caramel coloring. Caramel coloring, although naturally derived, can be questionable. An alternative is to use Stock Options All Natural Beef Demi Glace. One of the most difficult areas to eliminate unhealthy ingredients is in condiments and other flavor enhancing products.

Helpful Links:

Fagor 6 quart pressure cooker

Fagor 8 quart pressure cooker

Fagor 3-in-1 6-Quart Multi-Cooker for pressure cooking, slow cooking and rice cooking

A great cookbook with more pressure cooker recipes by Lorna Sass, Pressure Perfect

Laura writes a terrific blog filled with recipes and tips for pressure cooking, Hip Pressure Cooking.

More pressure cooker recipes from A Food Centric Life: Perfect Cheesecake and French Market Vegetable Beef Soup

A good tool to have for shopping – Chemical Cuisine mobile app for iPhone and Android available at CSPI

One of the highlights of our trip to New York City was a visit to the incredible Italian mega-marketplace called Eataly. Wandering through Eataly, I was the proverbial kid in the candy store, wondering how much I could cram into my already full suitcase to haul home.

We had a plate of silken, homemade ravioli for lunch at La Pizza & Pasta, a restaurant inside Eataly. Stuffed with ricotta and spinach, then tossed with butter, Parmesan, lemon and chopped pistachios, the flavor combination was fantastic.

As I finished my plate, I was already concocting a healthy recipe to share with you for vegetarian lemon pasta with kale, ricotta, and pistachios. It’s a deconstructed version that highlights the flavors but is far less time consuming than making homemade ravioli.

Fortified for shopping, I was hunting for a lemon olive oil for my recipe. A smiling young man in an Eataly apron asked if I’d like to sample some of the oils and offered to help me select my lemon oil. Since Eataly offers nearly 100 varieties of olive oil from Italian producers, the choices were overwhelming and the assistance was welcome.

Lucky for me, this young man was an expert on olive oil. In fact I’ve never met anyone who knew so much about it. His name was Nick Coleman and he is an Oleologist, the Chief Oleologist for Eataly. He also happens to be the person who selects all of the olive oils for Mario Batali’s restaurants.

In just a short time I learned so much about olive oil from Nick. He taught me that olives are fleshy sponges that absorb flavors from their environment. And that pepperiness in the back of your throat? The more you feel it, the more antioxidants there are in the oil. Olive oils have layers of flavors, just like wine, so slurp it when you taste, aerating it in your mouth. And that pretty color? It has no bearing on flavor or quality. You must taste it.

Read more about Nick and get an education on olive oil at the link below. In Nick’s capable hands I found a lovely lemon olive oil I could not wait to work with at home.

Whether shopping locally or traveling abroad, seek out the experts and have fun learning about ingredients. Always leave room in your suitcase to bring a few treasures home. It can make a big difference in your cooking and you’ll smile thinking of the memories.

A few notes on the recipe. My version uses whole wheat pasta instead of white, kale instead of spinach, skim ricotta and lemon olive oil instead of butter, for a healthier profile. On kale, I use Tuscan or Lacinato kale. It goes many names at the market including Tuscan kale, Tuscan cabbage, Italian kale, Dinosaur kale, cavolo nero, black kale, flat back cabbage, palm tree kale, or black Tuscan palm. See the link at the end for more information on kale if it’s new to you.

Toss the cooked pasta with the ricotta and lemon olive oil to create a quick and creamy sauce. Add the kale. Top with Parmesan, lemon zest and chopped pistachios. It’s a vegetarian main course or a wonderful side dish for chicken.

Like the signs in Eataly say – Eat better, live better! My motto exactly.

Lemon Pasta with Kale, Ricotta and Pistachios and Eataly, New York

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Adding ricotta and lemon olive oil to hot whole wheat pasta noodles creates a creamy sauce. Add cooked kale and top with Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and chopped pistachios for a delicious vegetarian main dish or side dish for chicken (see recipe links below). lemon olive oil is worth adding to your pantry. If you don’t have it, use good quality extra virgin olive oil and lemon zest for the lemon flavor.

Serves 2, doubles easily for 4

Ingredients

• 4 ounces whole wheat pasta, linguine or spaghetti ( I like DeLallo)
• 1/2 bunch of Lacinato or Tuscan kale (or use more if you prefer)
• 1/2 cup (3 ounces, 85 grams) part skim Ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon olive oil, plus more for drizzling over the top
• 1/2 ounce chopped raw, unsalted, shelled pistachio nuts
• 2-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
• zest of 1 small lemon, Meyer lemon if possible

Directions

1. Fill  a large pot or pan (4-5 quarts) with water. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, trim the kale. If the leaves are small and tender, trim off the bottom stem, then crosswise into thin ribbons or strips. If the leaves are larger, cut out the center rib, then cut across into thin ribbons.
2. When the water is at a boil, add a tablespoon of salt. Add the kale ribbons and cook for 4 minutes. Lift the cooked kale out with a spider or sieve and set aside (don’t drain the water yet). While the water is still boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions.
3. When the pasta is done, save a little of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta and place back in the hot pan with the heat off. Add a little salt and pepper.
4. Add the ricotta cheese and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Toss until creamy. If you want it to be more creamy, add a little of the reserved pasta cooking water. Add the kale. Place the pasta in warmed, wide shallow bowls. Top with a little more olive oil if desired, plus the pistachios, parmesan and lemon zest.

Other helpful links:

Here’s the link to the Eataly site.  They  have Washington DC, Chicago and Los Angeles on the futures list for the US.

For whole wheat organic pasta, I like the Delallo brand.

Nick Coleman is an amazing resource for learning about olive oil. What a joy to meet him.

Kale and roasted vegetable soup, from Simply Recipes

Hearty Ribollita Tuscan Soup (vegetables and kale)

Kale and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells

Information on the nutritional benefits of kale

More information on kale from Wikipedia

For photos of kale and trimming the ribs out, look at my post on Kale and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells

If you want to add chicken, here are several recipes you can use. Golden Chicken Cutlets or Roast Chicken Breasts

Brightly colored Easter baskets filled with chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs and sweet candy are part of my childhood memories. Those were the innocent days when I did not think much about what was in those treats and just enjoyed them. As I strive to make healthier choices, my thinking has changed.

This recipe for chocolate truffles with walnuts, cocoa powder and coconut oil are a rich treat; better for you than what’s in the old Easter baskets. Using a food processor makes them a snap to create. With no dairy or animal products, they are even vegan. Just serve them and don’t tell anyone your secret.

Wanting to come up with an alternative Easter treat that tasted marvelous but that I felt better about eating and serving, I created this chocolate truffle recipe. Chocolaty, indulgent little mouth-sized bites that satisfy that Easter sweet tooth. Not just for Easter, they work for other holidays and special occasions as well.

Many truffle recipes are based on solid, melted chocolate, heavy cream, butter and corn syrup – high in fat and sugar. This alternative version uses walnuts, cocoa powder, agave syrup, and extra virgin coconut oil, all healthier ingredients. Walnuts are nutrition-packed with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, protein, and fiber. Raw cacao powder contributes antioxidants and important minerals like magnesium and iron.

Use a food processor to create a quick dough, refrigerate, roll into balls, refrigerate again,  then roll in additional cocoa powder to serve. Skip the chocolate bunnies this year and try these chocolate truffles.

Chocolate Truffles

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These rich little chocolaty bites are based on walnuts, cocoa powder, agave and extra virgin coconut oil. The dough is easy to make with a food processor. Refrigerate balls until ready to serve, roll in cocoa powder and serve immediately. See my notes at the end on optional tool that make creating these even easier.

Yield: approximately 24 truffles

Ingredients

• 6 ounces (175 grams) raw chopped walnuts
• 9 tablespoons ( 54 grams) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder, divided use (I use Navitas raw cacao powder)
• 2 tablespoons (32 grams) melted extra virgin coconut oil ( I use Nutiva)
• 2 tablespoons (32 grams) agave syrup (I use Xagave)
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons (18 grams) cornstarch

Optional – ground cinnamon

Equipment – food processor

Directions

1. To the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the steel knife, add walnuts, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, coconut oil, agave, salt and cornstarch. Pulse until the mixture forms a smooth, cohesive dough. Place the mixture in a small bowl, cover with plastic film and refrigerate until firm, 30-60 minutes.
2. Line a plate or rimmed baking sheet with plastic film or parchment. With a teaspoon, melon baller or disher in size 100 (see note below), scoop a small amount of the truffle dough and roll quickly in your hands into balls. Work quickly as the heat of your hands will melt the dough. Thin food service gloves make it less messy and easier. See note below.
3. Place balls on the lined plate or tray and refrigerate until firm, another 30-60 minutes. When ready to serve, place the extra 6 tablespoons of cocoa powder in a small bowl and roll the truffles to coat. Serve immediately.

Notes on optional tools:

There are several things you can do to make this recipe even easier. First, use thin, stretchy, food handler gloves to protect the truffles from the heat of your hands. It makes them easier to roll and keeps your hands clean. Buy a box. Disposable gloves are handy to have for many kitchen and household uses.

Second, an optional tool that works great for forming the truffles is called a disher. Dishers come in many sizes from a big size 6 with a 3” bowl to a tiny size 100 with a bowl of about 1”. I use the size 100 for the truffles. Dishers are great tools for portioning batter, dough and for many other uses. I have them in about 6 sizes. They are a handy and fun tool to add to your kitchen gadget collection. Buy them at a restaurant supply or online.

Helpful Links:

For more information on dicers, here is the Zeroll site with a size chart. They make the best ice cream scoop too!

You can also buy the dishers on Amazon. Here is a link to the #100 I use for the truffles

If you’ve not yet discovered coconut oil, here is what I use, from Nutiva. It’s organic and unrefined. Us it as a cooking oil, butter substitute, shortening substitute in baking. It’s pure white, solid at room temperature and mild in flavor.

Nutritional information on walnuts

Raw, organic cacao powder from Navitas Naturals

I like agave syrup from Xagave. Check out how the produce their product.

Packed with vegetables and beans, then topped with creamy mashed potatoes, don’t tell the carnivores in your family this is meatless. They won’t miss the meat. Serve it as a comforting, casserole-style main dish for dinner or as a side dish to roast chicken.

Traditionally, Shepherd’s Pie is made with a filling of lamb. This vegetarian version replaces the lamb with colorful, healthy vegetables – onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes, green beans, corn, peas, and both red and white kidney beans. The vegetable filling is then topped with creamy mashed potatoes.

Of Potatoes, Dairy and Prep Work

For mashed potatoes I use Yukon Gold’s, not russets.  And for fluffy textured potatoes, I use a tool called a ricer. For the creamy part, stir in sour cream and a little butter. These days I use vegan sour cream by Follow Your Heart products and Earth Balance buttery vegan sticks in the mashed potatoes.

I started using these products while cooking for dairy-free clients and love the results.  This makes the dish dairy free and vegan. The taste is wonderful with a nice tang from the sour cream. You’ll never know its not regular dairy.

Of course regular dairy works fine. Do what works for you, but if you have not tried going dairy free occasionally, you might be surprised how good it can be.

There’s a bit of prep work for the vegetables which gives you a chance to practice your knife skills. Assemble all of your prepped vegetables and ingredients in little bowls. I like to put mine on a half-sheet tray before I start cooking the filling. Try it. You”ll be more organized.

Cook the Filling

Sauté the vegetables together, stir in the beans, then spoon the filling into individual or one large casserole dish.  Spoon on or pipe the potatoes over the top. I pipe my potatoes for nice presentation, but you can simply spoon the potatoes on a swirl for a nice look

To serve, bake the dishes in the oven until the filling is hot. A few minutes under the broiler will brown the tops but be careful not to burn the potatoes. If you’d like, gently brush with a little olive oil, melted Earth Balance or butter mixed with a little granulated garlic for extra flavor before browning.

A note on dishes – I like to make individual Shepherd’s Pies. For a main dish serving size, use 10 ounce ramekins. For a side dish try the 6 ounce size. You can also use a variety of mini casseroles. It’s fun for everyone to get their own little dish. 

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

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This vegetarian or vegan recipe for Shepherds Pie skips the lamb in favor of a basketful of vegetables and beans for a hearty main dish or as a side dish. Top with creamy mashed potatoes, browning them under the broiler for nice presentation. If serving as a main dish, add a tossed green salad. This also works well as a side dish to roast chicken. For serving two, the recipe halves nicely. Just choose one kind of bean.

Servings: 4 as a main dish, 6-8 as a side dish (this halves easily for two main servings)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams)Yukon gold potatoes
• 3/4 cup (170 grams) or more, vegan sour cream (note below) or regular light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) Earth Balance (or butter)
• 1 1/2 (20 grams) tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 of a large onion, chopped fine
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped fine
• 2 large ribs of celery, chopped fine
• 3 small carrots, chopped fine, about 3/4 cup (100 grams)
• 1 cup of peas (135 grams), thawed if frozen
• 1 cup corn kernels (135 grams), thawed if frozen
• 1- 14.5 ounce (411 grams) canned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup (130 grams) finely chopped raw baby green beans
• 1 teaspoon each (1/2 gram) dried basil, oregano and thyme
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1-15 ounce can (425 grams) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1-15 ounce can (425 grams) Cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) tomato paste
• 1 cup (240 ml) of water

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees

1. Make the mashed potatoes. Peel potatoes and cut into quarters or eights. Aim for the same size so they cook evenly. Place in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and add 2 teaspoons of kosher or sea salt. Bring the potatoes to a simmer over medium heat and cook until very tender when a paring knife easily pierces the potatoes.
2. Drain potatoes well and place back in the hot pan (heat off). Cover and allow to steam dry for a few minutes. Next, push the potatoes through a ricer. Alternatively use a hand masher or hand mixer. Add sour cream and butter and stir. Season with salt and pepper. The texture should be creamy and firm, not runny. Set aside.
3. Next, assemble all of your prepped vegetables and ingredients in little bowls. I like to put mine on a tray. You”ll be more organized.
4. In a medium saute or fry pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste, water, dried herbs, paprika, tomatoes and green beans. Cover and cook until the green beans are tender and some of the moisture has cooked down, a few minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper and taste. Gently stir in the beans. Distribute mixture between 4 – 10 ounce ramekins or a medium casserole dish. Swirl mashed potatoes over the top with a spoon or pipe mashed potatoes to cover the vegetable-bean mixture.
6. Place the casserole (s) on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the oven until hot or when a digital thermometer reads 160-165 degrees.  It should take about 3o minutes.  If the potatoes are not brown, bake under a to broiler just until browned. Serve  immediately.

Note – You can prepare this a day or two ahead. They hold well in the refrigerator. Allow to stand at room temperature for an hour before baking. They are done when the internal temperature read 160-165 degrees with a digital thermometer.

Seasoning – to give this a Southwestern taste, used smoked paprika, smoked pepper and add some chili powder.

Helpful Links:

Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks information

Follow Your Heart vegan sour cream (and I love the Vegenaise), information

Nutrition information on kidney and Cannellini beans (white Italian kidney beans)

10 ounce white ramekins on Amazon

Thermoworks Thermapen, the best digital thermometer.

Half sheet rimmed baking pan, great to organize prep work on and for a thousand other uses

OXO Potato Ricer, on Amazon

Fresh asparagus is one of the heralds of spring. Although we can find it almost year round (due to imports), the best quality and quantity of asparagus comes in the spring. If you are an asparagus lover, try this lemony puree of asparagus soup for a spring or Easter dinner. It’s easy to make and can be made ahead to save time. My recipe serves two, but it scales up easily to serve a crowd for dinner.

Being happily spoiled consumers who can pretty much get anything, anytime at the market, we may never realize how labor intensive many of our foods are to grow. That definitely applies to one of my favorite vegetables – asparagus. Workers often start before dawn, sometimes in the moonlight, bending low and hand-cutting the slender green spears before they are bundled and delivered to market.

A member of the lily family, asparagus spears turn green when the stalks burst through the dirt and encounter the sun. The sun-struck spears produce chlorophyll and turn green. If you dig under the dirt, you’ll find the spears are white.

Buying and Storing Asparagus

When shopping, choose fresh looking spears with tight tops or heads. As a kid, I called them the braids. Many markets will have the bundles sitting in a shallow pan of water to keep them from drying out.

When you get asparagus home, stand the bundle in a tall container with a little water in the bottom to keep the ends moist and cover loosely with plastic wrap until you are ready to use it. Alternatively, wet a paper towel with water and wrap the ends, then place in a plastic bag. It will last a couple of days stored this way, but the sooner you use it the better.

Ways to Enjoy Asparagus

There are many ways to enjoy asparagus: roasted, chopped and combined with zucchini for a quick vegetable stir fry, folded into an omelet, wrapped with Prosciutto baked for a fantastic appetizer, or as I have done here, pureed into a vibrant green soup.

Asparagus soup can be served either warm on a cool day or chilled on a hot one and  makes a lovely seasonal addition to a spring brunch or dinner.

Quick and Easy Soup

To make asparagus soup, sauté a little onion in oil, add chopped roast asparagus, add a little chicken (or vegetable) stock, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Puree in a blender. That’s it.

For creamy soup, try MimicCreme, a nut-based vegan substitute for cream. It’s a great alternative for people with dairy sensitivities or anyone trying to eat a more plant-based diet. Half and half is another option for those who enjoy regular dairy products. Add just enough to get it to the viscosity you want, either thick or fluid. Heat gently and enjoy.

Asparagus Soup

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 This lemony, creamy soup’s texture is created with MimicCreme, a wonderful vegan substitute for cream. You can use cream or half and half, but try the MimicCreme for marvelous taste, texture and big savings in calories and fat. This recipe easily doubles or triples for a larger quantity. I roast the asparagus, but you can also drop it into boiling, salted water for a few minutes until tender, drain and continue with the recipe.

Serves: 2

Yield: about 2 3/4 cups

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus, a few tips reserved for garnish
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (plus a little extra to roast asparagus)
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth, low sodium
• 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
• ½ teaspoon white or black pepper, or more to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon, zest first for optional garnish
• ¾ cup MimicCreme or half and  half (or a little more to get the texture you desire)
• Optional garnishes: reserved asparagus tips, lemon zest, finely chopped chives, crispy Prosciutto, vegan sour creme or creme fraiche.

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Snap ends off asparagus and discard tough ends. Trim spears into large pieces. Place on the baking sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp paring knife. Time will depend on how this the spears are, but it takes just a few minutes.  Alternative to roasting, drop the chopped asparagus into boiling, salted water and cook just a few minutes until tender. Drain, and continue with the recipe.
2. In a medium saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat; add onion and sauté, stirring until soft and translucent. Add garlic clove and cook one minute longer. Add the chopped asparagus to the pan, reserving a few tips for garnish if desired. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Puree in a blender, being careful with the hot liquid.  When pureed until smooth, add lemon juice and MimicCreme; blend a few more seconds to incorporate.
3. Taste and season for your preference. Heat if needed gently before serving. Garnish as desired.  Adjust the thickness for your preference with additional MimicCreme or broth if needed.

Safety notes for pureeing hot liquids – Fill the blender no more than half full. Puree in batches if necessary to be safe. Place the lid on securely, cover with a folded kitchen towel and hold it on with your hand. Start and a low speed and built up.

Helpful links on related recipes and tools:

For blenders, I use a Vita-Mix. They are powerful (1380 watt motor) and high capacity (2 quarts). I’ve had mine for many years and use it daily. They are a solid investment in power kitchen tools. No comparison to a standard blender in performance. Order here and get free shipping.

Easy Blender Hollandaise from Simply Recipes

Good ideas from Weeknights Fresh & Fast by Kristine Kidd

Slow Butter Braised Asparagus by Steamy Kitchen

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Soy Browned Butter by Steamy Kitchen

LA Times article on asparagus, grown in California’s San Joaquin delta

All about asparagus, from the Worlds Healthiest Food site