2 5 ounce cans chunk light tuna in water, drained
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 scallion, chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice, cooled
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 10-inch whole-grain wraps
3 cups watercress leaves
1 ripe avocado, cut into 16 slices
1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks
soy sauce for dipping (optional)

Preparation

In a medium bowl, add the tuna, mayonnaise, hot sauce and scallions. Mix well.

In a separate, smaller bowl, combine the rice and vinegar.

Lay out one wrap. Spread 1/4 of the tuna mixture onto the top. Next layer 1/2 cup rice, 3/4 cup watercress, 4 avocado slices and 1/4 of the carrot matchsticks.

Roll up and cut the wrap in half – use toothpicks to hold together if necessary.

Repeat with the remaining wraps and filling.

Serve with soy sauce for dipping, if desired.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
1 14-ounce can chicken broth
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
2 tablespoons tahini, or cashew butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound snow peas, trimmed and thinly slivered lengthwise
2 tablespoons chopped cashews

Preparation

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Allow the chicken to cook, then shred or cut into bite-size pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk until smooth the vinegar, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil and tahini (or cashew butter).

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, for 1 minute. Stir in the peas and continue to cook until bright green, about 4 minutes.

Transfer the garlic mix and the chicken to the dressing bowl. Toss to combine.

Serve sprinkled with cashews.

16 spears asparagus, (about 1 bunch), trimmed
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 very thin slices prosciutto, (about 1 ounce), cut in half lengthwise

Preparation

Preheat grill to a medium temperature.

In a bowl, add the asparagus, oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Wrap 4 asparagus spears around the middle with 1 length of prosciutto.

Repeat, making 4 bundles of wrapped asparagus.

Lightly oil the grill to ensure veggies do not stick.

Grill the asparagus bundles for about 10 minutes, turning twice during cooking to keep from burning.

Serve immediately.

photo credit: Joelk75

INGREDIENTS

4 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 cups chopped spinach, wilted (see Tip)
4 cups whole-grain bread, crusts removed if desired, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup diced ham steak, (5 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk the first 6 ingredients together. Add the spinach, bread, ham and roasted red peppers and toss to coat. Transfer to the baking dish and press everything to compact. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until the custard has set.

Uncover, sprinkle with cheese. Continue baking for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the custard is puffed and golden on top,

Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

photo credit: jeffreyw

INGREDIENTS

Red Chile Sauce

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced white onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup mild-to-medium-hot red New Mexican chile powder
2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 teaspoon salt

Enchiladas

1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and mashed, or refried beans
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
12 6-inch corn tortillas, blue corn if available
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, (8 ounces), divided
1/4 cup minced white onion, plus more for garnish

Preparation

In a medium size saucepan over medium heat saute the oinions in the canola oil for 1 minute. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent.

Next, add the chili powder, broth, water, oregano and salt. Bring to sauce to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook about 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and reduced by about one-third.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the beans and yogurt

To assemble:

Start by spreading 1/4 cup of sauce in the baking dish.

Lay 4 tortillas in the dish, overlapping the edges as needed to cover the bottom of the pan.

Add one-half of the bean mixture and spread it thinly using the back of a spoon.

Sprinkle 2/3 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons onion on top of the beans.

Top cheese and onions with one-third of the remaining sauce then 4 more tortillas.

Continue the layering process by adding the remaining bean mixture, 2/3 cup cheese and the remaining onion.

Again, spread one-half of the remaining sauce on top and cover with the last 4 tortillas.

And finally, top with the remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake the enchiladas until hot, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries, divided
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Preparation

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of berries and the sugar. Set aside, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

While waiting for sugar to dissolve, in a separate bowl, add the buttermilk, half-and-half, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Mix until blended.

Press the processed strawberry mix through a fine-mesh sieve into the buttermilk bowl. Stir, cover and chill for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.

Whisk the sherbet mixture and pour into your ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

During the last 5 minutes of freezing, add the remaining 1 cup chopped berries.

If sherbet is too thin, you can transfer it to the freezer for a while, checking often until it reaches the desired consistency.

photo credit: Laurel Fan

INGREDIENTS

2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 cup thinly sliced and washed leek, white and light green part only
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2-3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks and/or breasts), skin removed, trimmed
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

In a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons oil, the thyme and salt, onions, leek, and garlic. Toss until the vegetables are well coated. Spread veggies in a glass 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lay chicken evenly on top of the vegetables and bake for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon oil, mustard, shallot, rosemary, soy sauce and pepper.

After the chicken has cooked for roughly 10 minutes, brush it with the mustard glaze.

Continue baking for another 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

1 bunch asparagus, (about 1 pound), trimmed
1 bunch radishes, trimmed and cut into wedges
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion

Dressing:
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2-3 dashes Asian red chile sauce, such as sriracha (optional)

Preparation

Fill a large bowl with ice water.

Using a saucepan and a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil.

Leaving the tips whole, thinly slice asparagus diagonally and place in the steamer basket. Steam until the asparagus is tender but still crisp, about 1 minute.

Immediately transfer the asparagus to the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well.

In a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Add the asparagus, radishes and scallion and toss to combine.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

1 pound new or baby potatoes, scrubbed, halved if large
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut in 1/2-inch pieces
4 ounces shiitake mushroom caps or other mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Fresh chives for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Using a large sauce pan and a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil.
Place the potatoes in the basket and steam until slightly tender when pierced with a fork, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from steamer and cool enough to handle. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the asparagus, mushrooms, shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes or until they start to brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Using the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the onion and the potatoes. Cook 6 to 8 minutes or until potatoes are browned. Return the asparagus mixture to the pan along with the remaining ingredients (except chives). Heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with chives

photo credit: miheco

INGREDIENTS

Stuffing

2 1/4 cups coarse dry whole-wheat dry breadcrumbs
1 cup finely crumbled feta cheese
2/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and finely chopped, rinsed and finely chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Artichokes

4 large artichokes
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a medium bowl, add the breadcrumbs, feta, tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and oil. Mix well & set aside.

Remove the top 1 inch of leaves from the artichoke as well as the outer layer of any small, tough leaves from the stem end. Snip the spiky tips from the remaining outer leaves. Cut off and discard the stem to make a flat bottom.

Starting at the outer layers and progressing inward, pull the leaves apart to loosen. When you reach the center, remove the lighter leaves around the heart to expose the fuzzy choke. Carefully remove and discard the choke.

Repeat with remaining 3 artichokes.

To assemble, add 1/2 cup stuffing to the center of each artichoke. Using a small spoon, ‘stuff’ another 1/2 cup stuffing between the outer leaves, toward the base of each artichoke. Divide any remaining stuffing among the four artichokes.

Using a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 2 teaspoons oil. Add garlic and allow it to cook for about 30 seconts to 1 minute, just enough to bring out the flavor. Next add the broth and lemon juice and bring it to a simmer.

Carefully place the artichokes upright in the Dutch oven. Drizzle each artichoke with 1 teaspoon oil.

Cover, transfer to the preheated oven. Bake about 1 hour or until tender when pierced through the center with a knife.

Uncover and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until the stuffing is slightly browned.

Remove from the pan and serve. Use the braising liquid for dipping, if desired.