Griddled Banana, Mango, and Jalapeño Sandwiches

Recipe


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Ingredients
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil (or substitute canola oil)
4 slices (4 ounces total) dense multigrain bread (best quality), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons peanut butter, natural
1 small (1/2 cup) banana (ripe, coarsely fork-smashed) or very ripe plantain
4 ounces mango, very ripe, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large jalapeño pepper, sliced paper thin
3 tablespoons cotija or feta cheese, finely crumbled
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper


Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.

Brush grapeseed oil on 1 side of each bread slice. This will be the pan-contact side. Lay out all 4 bread slices, oil side down, on foil or parchment paper (as a work surface).

Spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter evenly onto each of 2 bread slices. Evenly distribute banana over the peanut buttered bread. Shingle mango evenly over banana. Scatter jalapeño over mango. Sprinkle evenly with cheese and salt. Close the sandwiches. Press gently to adhere all the ingredients.

Griddle the sandwiches for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, pressing gently to ensure that all the surface area of the bread is in contact with the pan. Be patient, and let it cook without peeking (you’ll get a more even toast that way).

Combine powdered sugar and red pepper. Cut sandwiches in half, and dust with powdered sugar mixture.

Serves 2


This recipe was adapted from the website, MyRecipes.

Ginger Ale

Juice Recipe


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Ingredients

1 inch slice of ginger

1 lemon wedge

1 green apple

4 ounces of sparkling mineral water


Juice the first three ingredients. Pour into a glass with ice, add the mineral water, and stir.

Serves 1


This recipe was inspired from the book, The Complete Book of Juicing.

Don Juan

Juice Recipe


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Ingredients

2-inch slice of ginger

Handful of parsley

1/4 pineapple with skin


Juice all of the three ingredients above together.

Serves 1


This recipe was inspired from the book, The Complete Book of Juicing

SoCal Guacamole Burger

Recipe


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Ingredients
1 ripe peeled avocado, divided
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup chopped seeded tomato
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 pound 90% lean ground sirloin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
4 (1 1/2-ounce) whole-grain hamburger buns
1 cup broccoli sprouts


Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Place half of avocado in a bowl; mash with a fork until almost smooth. Add sour cream and next 3 ingredients to bowl; stir to combine. Dice remaining half of avocado. Add diced avocado, tomato, jalapeño, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to bowl; stir gently to combine.

Divide beef into 4 equal portions. Gently shape each portion into a (1/2-inch-thick) patty. Press a nickel-sized indentation in center of each patty. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place burgers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Lightly coat cut sides of buns with cooking spray. Place buns, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill 1 minute or until toasted.

Place 1/4 cup sprouts on bottom half of each bun; top each with 1 patty, about 3 tablespoons guacamole, and top half of bun.

Serves 4


This recipe was inspired from the website, MyRecipes.

Chesapeake Bay “Crabby” Mac

Recipe


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Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 large shallot (or 2 small) minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese
2 cups grated manchego cheese
1 cup grated Cheddar
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons sherry, optional
1 (16-ounce) box elbow macaroni
1 pound lump crabmeat

Topping:

4 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves


For the sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add minced shallots and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour to make a roux. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to cook the flour. Slowly, add 3 cups milk. When milk is incorporated into the roux, add the seafood seasoning, and the block of cream cheese. Cook until cream cheese is melted. Add shredded manchego and Cheddar cheeses and parsley. Cook until all the cheese is melted. Add the sherry, if desired.

Cook macaroni according to package directions or until just al dente. Drain macaroni. Stir cheese mixture into cooked macaroni and old in crabmeat. (Be sure to fold in crabmeat so you don’t break up the lumps too much, you want nice chunks of crab.) Put mixture in a baking dish.

For the topping: Mix melted butter, bread crumbs, seafood seasoning, and parsley. Sprinkle topping on the dish. Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes to make the topping crispy. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Serves 4 to 6

This recipe was adapted from the Food Network website.

Pear and Gruyère Strata

Recipe


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Ingredients

4 cups sliced peeled Anjou or Concorde pear
2 teaspoons butter, melted
6 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
12 (1-ounce) slices cinnamon swirl bread (such as Pepperidge Farm), cut in half diagonally
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup egg substitute
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup


Combine pear, butter, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large bowl; toss gently.

Arrange half of bread in an 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon pear mixture evenly over bread; top evenly with cheese. Arrange remaining bread over cheese.

Combine the remaining 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, milk, egg substitute, and cinnamon, stirring with a whisk. Pour milk mixture over bread, pressing down to submerge. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Uncover dish. Sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over bread. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into 8 equal pieces; drizzle with syrup.

Serves 8 (serving size: 1 strata piece and 1 tablespoon syrup)


This recipe was adapted from the website, MyRecipes.