An Unexpectedly Flavorful Salad with Local Summer Peaches and Kale
Fresh Kale & Summer Peach Salad with Toasted Almonds and a Balsamic Vinaigrette
Rush to your Farmer’s Market this week! The local peaches are exceptional: sweet, juicy, flavorful, and with a perfect velvety texture. This recipe is a tasty way to feature them at any gathering. And it’s always a favorite.
Fresh Kale & Summer Peach Salad with Toasted Almonds and a Balsamic Vinaigrette
Excerpted from my book: Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes: 50 New Reasons to Cook in Season!
Serves 6
Vinaigrette:
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Salad Ingredients:
6 Handfuls of fresh Kale, washed, tough stems removed, and torn into bite-sized pieces or chiffonade
2 Cups Fresh Sliced Summer Peaches
2 Ounces toasted slivered Almonds
½ Sweet Onion, peeled and sliced
In a large bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk until blended. Add the kale, onion, almonds, and peaches. Toss together. Serve immediately.
Katherine’s Weekly Batch Recipe: Roberto Donna’s Stuffed Shells with Ricotta & Roasted Eggplant
Enjoying Roberto Donna’s Stuffed Shells with Ricotta & Roasted Eggplant featured in my book, Diet Simple
My third weekly batch recipe, based on what you can find at your Farmers Market this weekend (Tomatoes, Eggplant, Garlic, maybe Basil, the Ricotta cheese, and something comparable to Parmesan – do some tastings!), is Roberto Donna’s Baked Shells with Ricotta and Eggplant. It is featured in my book, Diet Simple, and a gift from Washington’s most famous, James Beard Award-winning, Italian chef, Roberto Donna, currently Executive Chef at Al Dente Restaurant.
Batches are all about making the most of the time you spend in the kitchen and easing some stress from your life. I feature batch recipes in my books, Diet Simple and Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes. Batches are your favorite delicious, quick and easy meals made ahead of time so that you always have something in the freezer or refrigerator, ready to eat, or serve for guests, on a moment’s notice. And, believe it or not, though it may take a little extra time to prepare the batches on the weekends, it actually saves time overall and calms the daily whirlwind of your life.
Roberto Donna’s Stuffed Shells with Ricotta and Roasted Eggplant
excerpted from “Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations”
This elegant dish, always a crowd pleaser, comes together quickly. Though it may be a little more complex than some of my other batches, it’s worth it! Using canned tomatoes and roasted peppers is perfectly fine in this recipe instead of using fresh, to save time. This unique Italian fare makes for an exquisite meal, or appetizer, minus loads of calories. And it can be refrigerated for use later, then re-heated easily with your microwave.
Katherine baking Roberto Donna’s Stuffed Shells with Ricotta & Roasted Eggplant, featured in her book, “Diet Simple”
Serves 4
8 oz. peeled and cubed eggplant, sprinkled with 1 Tbs. olive oil
8 oz. low-fat ricotta cheese
2 Tbs. capers, drained (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (place the basil leaves on top of each other so they’re in a pile, then slice diagonally in thin strips)
12 jumbo shells, cooked, drained and cooled (you may want to boil more than 12, as some fall apart)
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 Tbs. grated Parmesan, optional
Italian parsley leaves for garnish
Olive Oil Spray (optional)
Tomato Sauce (as an option, you can use a favorite commercial sauce):
1 1/2 cups canned plum tomatoes, or an equivalent amount of cooked fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup pureed tomatoes from a can, or an equivalent amount of cooked, pureed tomatoes
1/4 cup roasted, peeled, seeded red peppers (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, or an equivalent amount of a comparable cheese from the Farmers Market
Italian parsley leaves for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 450F,
2. Place eggplant cubes on nonstick baking sheet – if you use parchment paper on the pan, the eggplant will not stick. Roast about 15 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove from oven,
3. Mix Ricotta with the Parmesan cheese, capers, the and eggplant cubes in mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and 4 chiffonade basil leaves. Set aside,
4. Reduce oven temperature to 400F,
5. Cover baking dish with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick vegetable spray. Fill each shell with about 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese mixture, filling evenly among shells until used up. Place the shells on the baking dish. Brush tops of shells with 1 tablespoon olive oil (or spray with olive oil spray). Bake 10 minutes, or until crisped and golden brown at the edges,
6. Meanwhile, to make tomato sauce, purée tomatoes, remaining basil, rest of olive oil and garlic (or use your favorite commercial sauce). Season with salt and pepper,
7. Heat sauce over low heat, just until warm (Roberto says a simple sauce, without overcooking, is the best),
8. Remove and set aside,
9. To serve, spoon one-quarter of the sauce on the dish (use a heated dish, if possible), and place 3 stuffed shells on top. Drizzle a little extra sauce over each top and garnish with parsley leaf and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired. Repeat with remaining shells and sauce. Refrigerate if not using immediately,
10. To re-heat, place 3 shells on top of sauce on microwavable plate or a shallow bowl, cover with a glass bowl and microwave for about 2 minutes,
11. If you are serving the stuffed shells as an appetizer, just one shell per plate will do.
Per serving, approximately (depending on the type of Ricotta cheese you use):
360 calories
total fat 17 grams
saturated fat 6 grams
Fiber 4 grams
Protein 12 grams
Caprese Salad: A Simple Summertime Dish in 5 Minutes
Caprese Salad: A Simple Summertime Dish in 5 Minutes
Summertime, when the livin’ is easy… preparin’ meals should be easy too. With an abundance of fresh, natural and locally grown ingredients, there is no need to cook or spend more than five minutes in the kitchen preparing something delectable, mouth-watering, and perfectly balanced nutritionally.
Simply slice some vine-ripe tomatoes on a plate, spread about three ounces of mozzarella (and a touch of goat cheese, if you wish) on top, add a sprig of fresh basil – all from the Farmers Market. Sprinkle fresh extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper on everything.
Effortless! Only a plate and knife to rinse, and a fork to clean.
Nutritionally, this is a perfectly balanced meal, because it comprises the following four/five elements:
* At least half the plate is a fruit or vegetable,
* It contains 3 ounces of protein,
* The protein source is dairy,
* It’s topped with a heart-healthy fat, the freshest olive oil you can find.
The only element potentially missing is a whole grain. So add a hardy, toasted slice of whole rye or whole wheat bread with a shmear of olive oil and garlic. Or, smother a one cup serving of whole grain pasta with the salad.
Perfetto!
Intensely Flavored Strawberry Sherbet in 5 Minutes
Berry Sherbet (Photo by Renee Comet, Photographer, for the National Cancer Institute – from Wikipedia.org)
5 Minutes? Yes, you heard right. Through the Salvation Army, I teach people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction – and often from the criminal justice system – the importance of including fruits and vegetables in their diets. Sound boring? It certainly could be. But not when we make recipes like this 5 Minute Strawberry Sherbet, adapted from a recipe by Kelly Senyei. It’s a sure-fire way to make anyone actually crave fruits for dessert in place of less healthy choices.
This sherbet (sherbets often contain dairy, while sorbets don’t) is luscious, creamy, and intensely flavorful. I bought the strawberries at the local Farmers Market for maximum succulence. The class hulled the berries and placed them evenly on a baking sheet. Then they (the strawberries, that is) went into the blisteringly cold Salvation Army walk-in freezer. While waiting for the berries to freeze, we reviewed a little lesson about the health benefits of strawberries. The class was especially excited hearing about strawberries’ potential for reducing inflammation, the risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, for stimulating the immune system, and more. They learned about oxidation’s role in increasing disease, and how the more than 100 nutrients in strawberries serve as antioxidants, reducing the risk for those diseases.
I love teaching people who really need help and who benefit so much from my counseling and classes, from people with low literacy and low income, to sophisticated folks – in my classes and private practice. It is amazing how delicious food naturally attracts anyone to a healthy way of eating and living.
Here goes:
Place about 1 cup of Greek yogurt (plain or another flavor, like peach or vanilla) in a food processor. Add 8 cups of frozen strawberries, 2 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed Lemon or Orange Juice, and its zest if you like. Next, add honey or sugar to taste, about 4 to 6 Tablespoons.
Cut the recipe in half for a smaller party.
Blend in the food processor for 5 minutes straight – no peeking! And, voila… you have a rich dessert everyone will love. If you’d like to be extra fancy, serve it in a stemmed crystal glass.
I’m In Tomato Heaven Recipe! Greek Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes From the Farmers Market of All Shapes, Sizes, Colors, Textures and Flavors!
I’m in tomato heaven! Tomatoes are my favorite vegetable (maybe because they’re actually a fruit!). It all started with my Grandmother. She would plant dozens – or it seemed like dozens to a child – of tomato plants every year in her huge vegetable garden. We’d pick them ripe from the vine, and eat them while still warm from the summer sun. I’ll never forget how soft, juicy, and red throughout they were. I feel so lucky that today, we have our Farmers Markets growing these kinds of spectacular specimens… of all shapes, sizes, colors, textures, and flavors!
Heirloom tomatoes are old varieties of tomatoes which have been passed down through generations. They are tastier, but more delicate, because they’re bred to be picked and eaten right away – they’re not bred to travel (as many of the tomatoes in the grocery store may be). Heirloom varieties have natural resistance to pests, disease and are better able to tolerate local conditions without too much extra energy, pesticides or water. Locally, organically produced food saves water, energy and encourages a region’s unique varieties of fruits and vegetables.
Greek Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
excerpted from “Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes: 50 New Reasons to Cook in Season!” by ME (only $4.95)
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Vinaigrette:
2 Tablespoons Freshly Harvested Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice (1 Lemon)
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Oregano or Basil (or 1 tsp dried)
1 Clove Garlic, Minced (optional)
Salt and Pepper to Taste (Salt is not necessary with the cheese and olives)
Vegetables:
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced into a half-moon shape
1 onion, peeled and chopped coarsely
1 medium yellow, purple or green bell pepper, cored, seeded, chopped into large bite-size pieces
1 cup pitted Kalamata or other Greek Olives
4 Heirloom Tomatoes, quartered, and cut into large, bite-size pieces (or any vine-ripe tomatoes)
4 ounces Feta or Goat Cheese, broken into small bits
Instructions:
Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a large salad bowl and whisk until blended. Add the cucumbers, onion, pepper, and olives and toss into vinaigrette. Let sit for twenty minutes to marinate. Add the heirloom tomatoes and cheese when ready to serve.
Tomatoes are one of the “superfoods.” Men who consumed 10 or more servings of tomato products a week had a 35% decrease in risk of prostate cancer relative to those who consumed 1.5 servings or fewer per week. This is largely attributed to “lycopene” in the tomatoes, which is also in other red fruits such as watermelon, pink grapefruit and guava. Men with lycopene levels in the top 20% had a 46% decrease in risk of heart attack compared to those in the bottom 20%. Lycopene is a potent scavenger of gene-damaging free radicals. But don’t expect to get it from a supplement. You must eat the tomato as you need the whole food to receive the benefits! But because lycopene is fat-soluble, you must eat the tomato with an oil of some kind for it to be available to your body.
Lycopene (Red fruits such as tomatoes, watermelon, guava): Many studies have shown that lycopene-rich foods reduce the risk of prostate cancer, but the mechanism behind that reduction was not well understood until now. A recent study found that lycopene has a substantial protective effect against prostate cancer by interfering with the genes that would allow the prostate cancer cells to grow and survive. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends that men take advantage of lycopene’s cancer-preventing effects and fill their diets with foods such as tomatoes, watermelon and guava.
Strawberry and Rhubarb Soup
Soupe aux Fraises et Rhubarbe (photo by Alison Eaves)
At your farmers market, you’ll find strawberries and rhubarb picked at peak ripeness, which means maximum flavor, texture, and nutrition. You’re also helping save the environment when you buy at a local farmers market.
Soupe aux Fraises et Rhubarbe
(Strawberry and Rhubarb Soup)
excerpted from Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 Tablespoons Canola Oil
3 stalks Rhubarb, pealed and cut into 1.4 inch chunks
2 cups hulled and sliced fresh Strawberries
4 ounces fresh Orange Juice
1/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Nonfat or Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt
4 fresh Mint Leaves
Procedure:
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Use a pan large enough to hold all of the ingredients. Add the rhubarb and saute about a minute. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for about 7 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender. Remove from the heat and let cool. Add the strawberries, orange juice, sugar and 1/2 cup of the yogurt and blend with an immersible hand blender (I like the Cuisinart Smart Stick). Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or until it is well chilled.
Presentation:
Pour the soup into four small chilled bowls. Place a 1 Tablespoon dollop of yogurt and a fresh mint leaf on each bowl.
Did you know that there are 200 seeds on each strawberry?
Strawberries are members of the Rose family and there are over 600 different varieties. Choose freshly picked, ripe berries, as they will be the tastiest and will have the most nutrients. “Look for berries fully formed, bright red, without bruising or soft spots and with fresh-looking green caps,” says Janie Hibler in “The Berry Bible.”
Strawberries are considered a “superfood.” They have one of the highest antioxidant and nutrient contents of all foods, yet they are low in calories, so you can eat them in unlimited quantities. In fact, for your health, the more the better! “A serving of eight strawberries contains more vitamin C than an orange. Strawberries are also rich in folate, potassium, and fiber. They’re especially high in cancer- and heart-disease-fighting phytonutrients (beneficial plant compounds) called flavonoids, anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, catechin, and kaempferol.
Soupe aux Fraises et Rhubarbeis adapted from “The French Culinary Institute’s Salute to Healthy Cooking” (Rodale Press, 1998), one of my favorite cookbooks, which I highly recommend!
FREE: Diet Simple Farm-to-Table Spring Cookbook
Enjoying Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries at the Farmers Market
Celebrate Your Transformation to a Healthier Lifestyle
I’m enthusiastically and gratefully giving you my most cherished spring recipes from my new upcoming Farm-to-Table cookbook FREE, because I appreciate you – my clients and friends – so much. I feel privileged to be part of your life – as your personal guide in your life and health transformation.
Creating a “Diet Simple” Support Community on Facebook
I really enjoy hearing from you, getting regular updates about your health, your family, and your life. So, I’m going to take it to the next level and form an online “Diet Simple” community on Facebook. It will be our online space to support each other, share our cooking adventures, and celebrate our ongoing transitions to a healthier lifestyle and body weight. To encourage you to get in the habit of Facebooking with me, I’m running a contest with prizes I think you’ll love! Follow the instructions below…
Cover design by Eagle Publishing and Viggy Parr
Click my book (above), and you’ll find my book to download…
Diet Simple Contest
1. Download and/or print my new Diet Simple Farm-to-Table Spring recipes,
2. Try one of the recipes – or more – and share a picture and your impressions on my “Diet Simple by Katherine Tallmadge” Facebook page,
3. Everyone who posts a comment or picture will be entered into the contest,
4. Refer a friend to do the same, they’ll be entered, and you’ll be entered into the drawing twice.
The Winner: Chooses From the Following Prizes
1. A guided, personal shopping trip to the Farmers Market,
2. Private chef-for-a-night (I cook dinner at your home while you provide the ingredients),
3. A 5-session nutrition counseling program,
4. A talk at your (local Washington, DC) workplace or conference, or
5. Come up with your own idea, and I’ll consider it!
Asparagus Already? Katherine’s Favorite Asparagus Recipes
- At April 01, 2012
- By Katherine
- In Articles, News
0
If any food says SPRING loudly and clearly, it’s ASPARAGUS!
Asparagus season is earlier than usual because of the record-setting warm winter weather, and I, for one, am grateful. As someone who almost exclusively buys my produce from the farmers’ markets, I’ve been feeling a bit bored with winter’s kale, potatoes and beets… Kale and potatoes and beets, oh my!
I have several luscious asparagus recipes I’ve been dying to get into. Before I share them with you, let me tell you why asparagus is so good to eat (besides being uniquely delicious).
Asparagus is packed with nutrients. Low in calories, it’s an excellent source of folic acid, thiamin, vitamin C, and B6. Asparagus, like other fruits and vegetables, is sodium- fat- and cholesterol-free. It is an important source of potassium and nutrients for boosting your immune system, reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and preventing heart disease and cancer. Asparagus is especially high in glutathione, one of the body’s most potent cancer fighters, according to the National Cancer Institute. It’s also high in rutin, which is valuable in strengthening the blood vessels.
When buying asparagus, it should be bright green with tight, firm tips. And you’ll need to get to the farmer’s market early, as it goes fast! I’m not the only one eager for change…
My favorite asparagus recipe is one I developed with my client, Rebecca. We made a mess in her kitchen with several bundles of asparagus in each corner. We roasted it, steamed it, and sauteed it. We tried a variety of dressings and accompaniments.
The result? “Chilled Asparagus in a Creamy Tarragon, Shallot, and Roasted Walnut Vinaigrette.” How delicious is it? Let me just say my friend Cindy Mize, who I immortalized in my book, Diet Simple, as having just lipstick and fingernail polish in her refrigerator (during her younger days in Washington), says she can’t sleep knowing it is in her refrigerator. In her new life as president of Miami Capital Properties in Key Biscayne, Florida, she has many dinner parties at which my asparagus recipe is featured. After her dinner guests leave, she says she sneaks to the refrigerator at midnight to scarf up the leftover. I can hardly believe the transformation of this southern gal who claimed she would only eat “brown” or “white” food: but I guess that illustrates the power of a great recipe!
A few of Katherine’s favorite asparagus recipes…
Chilled Asparagus in a Creamy Tarragon, Shallot and Roasted Walnut Vinaigrette
Salad of New Potatoes and Asparagus with Lemony Garlic Herb Mayonnaise
Pasta with Pesto, Roasted Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes
Asparagus Salad in a Vietnamese-Style Dressing
Puree of Asparagus Soup with Tarragon
Chef Janis McLean’s Asparagus Frittata
- Cindy Mize during her non-vegetable-eating days in Washington, D.C.
