Salmon Poke

I was at a neighborhood sushi spot recently and one of the rolls was absolutely amazing: spicy and sweet and a bit crunchy.  It wasn't because of the roll though, it was the hawaiian-style salmon poke on top of the roll.  After chatting with the sushi chef and getting some tips on the ingredients, I think I nailed it pretty well with this recipe.  The key is to start with a very fresh, fatty piece of salmon.  My absolute favorite is Scottish Salmon.  If you live in Colorado you can get it at Tony's Meat Market or Marczyk's. If you live outside of Colorado you can order fresh Scottish Salmon fillet by the pound from Chef's Fresh Fish - an online seafood market. It will be delivered to your door the next day. It's the best salmon on earth...I promise.  Sushi-grade. Fatty. Clean-tasting. Buttery. Perfect!

Ingredients: 

-1/2 lb. fresh Scottish Salmon fillet

-2 Tbsp light mayo

-2 tsp sriracha (or more or less, depending on your heat tolerance)

-2 Tbsp unagi / eel sauce

-1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

-2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

-salt and pepper to taste

optional: 2-3 Tbsp panko breadcrumbs for crunch

Tuna Tartare Bites

Since I started working for Seattle Fish, I've had access to amazing fish and seafood. The first thing I brought home from the office was #1 yellowfin tuna (best stuff money can buy...in my eyes).  You can purchase sushi grade tuna online at Chef's Fresh Fish and have it on our door tomorrow morning. A few simple ingredients and some time in the fridge will make a beautifully flavored topping for rice crackers or cucumber slices.  Skip the chips and dip at your next party...and take it up a notch.

Ingredients

-1/2 lb (about 8 ounces) sushi grade tuna

-2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

-juice of 1/2 lime

-splash of unseasoned rice vinegar

-2 Tbsp soy sauce

-1 Tbsp minced cilantro

-1 Tbsp Sriracha sauce

-1 avacado, diced

-rice crackers or 1 seedless cucumber to serve

Crispy Oven Baked French Fries

I don't know how many times I've tried to bake potato wedges or sticks do end up with a soggy mess.  How to you get the crispiness of deep-fried french fries in the oven? Gwyneth Paltrow's trick is to soak the potato slices in ice cold water before baking! Sure enough...it works...everytime. This is my new favorite side dish for black bean or Turkey Burgers.  Serve with some Sriracha Ketchup to heat it up.

Ingredients:

-2-3 large russet potatoes (you can peel if you want)
-2 Tbsp olive oil
-1 Tbsp sea salt

Equipment Needed:

-parchment paper to help prevent sticking
-large bowl of ice water

Homemade Nut Butter

I recently sat down with the owners of local food truck Hey PB&J here in Denver and asked them, "what is the trick to homemade nut butter?"  Nothing. It couldn't be easier to make your own peanut butter, almond butter, pistachio butter...you name it. The ratios are pretty much the same, it just needs a bit of tweaking depending on the natural oil content of the nuts.  I always have a jar on hand to spread on toast in the morning.  This version uses whole roasted almonds for almond butter...a sweeter version of peanut butter. 

Ingredients:

-2 cups whole nuts (I used almonds)

-1/8-1/4 cup peanut oil depending on the natural oil content of the nuts

-pinch of sea salt

Equipment Needed

-Vitamix (or other powerful blender) or food processor

Summer's End Fresh Basil Pesto

A freshly made jar of pesto hardly compares to anything you can buy in the grocery stores.  If you grow sweet basil or know where to buy it, now is the time to start using the bountiful harvest.  A few other fresh ingredients and you will have a versatile pasta sauce, sandwich spread or as an appetizer on crispy crostinis. 

Ingredients:

-2 handfuls (about 2 cups packed) fresh basil leaves

-2-3 cloves garlic (depending on how much you like/love raw garlic)

-1/4 cup whole pine nuts

-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

-juice from 1 lemon

-1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

-1 tsp sea salt

-1/4 tsp pepper

Quinoa Tabbouleh

My last recipe was Easy Hummus with Cavender's which can't be made without Tabbouleh in my opinion.  I love layering a pita chip with a little hummus and a scoop of tabbouleh to top it off.  This can also be made as a fresh summer side dish.  This specific recipe is made quinoa, an ancient power grain.  If you want to check out another quinoa recipe look at my Light Mexican Quinoa with Tomatoes and Black Beans. 

Ingredients

-2 cups quinoa
-2-3 garlic cloves, minced
-zest of 1 lemon
-juice of 1 lemon
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 pkg grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 smal bunch green onions, chopped
-1 large handful of cilantro, chopped
-1 large cucumber, diced
-salt and pepper

Beer Cheese Dip

This is made in the microwave! Had to get that out there first.  My roommate has made this a few times out of an ancient Junior League Cookbook, Denver Cache.  It's seriously circa 1980's but has some great classics.  Annie (my roommate) has bumped up some of the measurements and tweaked it over the years. We've used a variety of beers in this recipe so feel free to be creative.  We've use dark lagers, amber beers, and basically anything that is darker than a Bud Light.  Please don't use a "college beer" in this recipe.  Splurge a little bit and buy a $2 bottle of beer; it will be worth it.  We serve this with crusty bread or veggies such as carrots and broccoli.  Basically, anything you can dip in beer-flavored-cheese.


Ingredient:


-1 block (8oz) light cream cheese
-6 oz cheddar cheese, grated
-2 green onions, chopped
-1/2 cup dark beer (about 1/2 bottle)
-1 Tbsp horseradish
-1 tsp dry mustard

French Herb Cheese and Radish Crostinis

I was so excited to pick my first bunch of radishes from the yard today.  I threw these seeds in the ground in the early spring and a few weeks later, I had a wonderful colorful variety: red, purple, and white...oh my! They're called the "Easter Egg Blend" because they look like little Easter eggs.  I wanted to use them in a recipes that showed off their colors and focused on the fresh root vegetables.  This is when I remembered an old-time favorite: French Herb Cheese.  I made a batch and smeared some on toasted french bread slices and topped with radishes.  It's a flavorful but simple appetizer or snack to bring to a party this spring!

Ingredients:

-1 bunch radishes

-1 french baguette

-2 blocks cream cheese, softened

-1 stick butter, softened

-1 bunch Italian parsley

-1 large handful of any herbs (pick your favorite...rosemary, chives, tarragon, thyme, oregano)

-2 dashes hot sauce

-1 tsp garlic powder

-salt and pepper to taste

Caramelized Red Onion and Goat Cheese Crostini

Blake and I were at a wedding in Crested Butte a few weekends ago.  The food was amazing! In particular the rehearsal dinner had this little appetizer that we all couldn't get enough of.  They were perfect little finger foods for nibbling on while enjoying a glass of wine. I think they paired especially well with a hefty glass of red wine! I asked the cocktail waitress what was on the crostini and my guess was almost spot on.  Not only caramelized onions, but caramelized red onions which I've never made.  The white creamy spread was nothing but my favorite, goat cheese!  I have a whole post on Caramelized Onions that will help you folks that have never done it.  It's not hard, just takes a little time that is well worth it!

Ingredients:

-1 long loaf French bread

-2 medium red onions

-2 (5.3 ounce) pyramids of spreadable goat cheese (make sure not to get the crumbles)

-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

-1/8 cup olive oil for brushing, or olive oil spray

-microgreens or fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

-salt and pepper to taste

Asian Marinated Cucumbers

The sushi restaurant behind my house, Japon, has these wonderful little marinated cucumbers that they serve only if you're sitting at the sushi bar.  I know they couldn't be that hard to make so I tried re-creating them from some recipes I found on the web and ingredients in my pantry.  They are a great little Asian appetizer that gets better each day it marinates.

Ingredients:

-1 English Cucumber (or 2 Japanese cucumbers)
-1/4 cup rice vinegar
-2 Tbsp sesame oil
-1-2 Tbsp salt
-1 tsp sugar
-pinch - 2 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how much kick you want)

Spicy Garlic Edamame

I love edamame.  Have you ever been to a sushi restaurant and they had more options than just with sea salt? spicy? garlicky? Well here I combined them both!  I basically just boiled the edamame a few minutes, strained it and tossed with a sauce made of ingredients I had in my fridge.  If you're looking for a new, easy app that will take the heat up, this recipe is for you!

Ingredients:

-1 pkg frozen edamame, still in shells

-2 Tbsp Thai chili garlic paste

-2 tsp ginger paste (or grated fresh ginger)

-1 Tbsp dried garlic or jarred minced garlic or 3 cloves fresh

-1 Tbsp sea salt

-1 Tbsp sesame oil

-1/2 tsp togarashi pepper (optional...will really bump up the heat)

Sausage Stuffed Mushroom Appetizers

I definitely love stuffed mushrooms and often have them as a side dish or sometimes a meal; see the couple recipes below:

• Spinach and Feta Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms
• Grilled and Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

This recipe takes the same concept but uses much smaller mushrooms, perfect for finger food.  The sausage makes the appetizer even heartier, making it great for a hungry group or heavy-app party!  I used spicy sausage in half the mushrooms and mild in the other.  Just make sure to garnish differently so your guests (and you) can tell them apart.  I garnished the spicy ones with a red smoky paprika and the mild ones with dried mint, which adds a great earthiness.

Ingredients:

-1 large package of white button mushrooms

-1/4 cup olive oil

-1/4 sherry wine

-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

-1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

-about 8 ounces sausage (I used both Polidori's mild and spicy)

-1/2 cup Panko (or any type) of breadcrumbs

-3 garlic cloves
-salt and pepper

No-Bake Protein Energy Bites

It's hard not to admit there are definitely "food trends".  This is a trend I saw all over pinterest so figured I had to give it a shot.  Sure enough, they are pretty darn great. An easy way to get a sweet dose of protein, especially when you know your diet can lack it at times, like mine.  You can use a number of different ingredients to make these your own.  For instance, I have a special place for butterscotch so I used them in my mix instead of chocolate. Oh, and did I mention you don't even have to bake these? Awesome.  They're a great snack-on-the-go!

Ingredients:


-1 cup rolled oats (dry oatmeal, but not instant)
-1 cup coconut flakes
-1/2 cup butterscotch chips
-1/2 cup peanut butter
-1 cup flaxseed (whole or ground)
-1/8 cup agave nectar
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 cup crushed cashews

Mini Crab Rangoons

My most popular recipe, by far, is the Crab Rangoon Dip.  I've taken the same recipe and stepped it up a notch.  Here, the dip is divided up into little wonton wrappers and baked until golden brown.  It's the perfect party appetizer and to make it even better, I've made the recipe a little lighter!

Ingredients:


-1 package of wonton wrappers/skins (found in the bagged salad section of the grocery store)
-2 cans of crab meat
-16 ounces (2 blocks) light cream cheese, softened
-1/2 cup light sour cream
-4 green onions, chopped
-1.5 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
-2 Tbsp. powder sugar
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1/2 tsp lemon juice

Gadgets Needed:


-1 mini-cupcake pan

Smoked Salmon Spread

I've been on a Smoked Salmon kick recently. I have a Cameron's Stove-Top Smoker and smoked a couple fillets with Alder Chips for this recipe.  Don't have a smoker?  Did you know you can smoke fish using a Wok and some foil.  Genius! I was looking for an appetizer to bring to a party, but didn't want some typical cheese dip.  I loved it even more the next morning spread on a bagel for breakfast.  It's hard to beat with thinly sliced red onions and capers.

My favorite salmon to smoke at home is Scottish Salmon. You can order it online at Chef's Fresh Fish.

Ingredients: 

-12 ounces smoked salmon, roughly torn into pieces
-8 ounces light cream cheese
-3 Tbsp light sour cream
-2 Tbsp light mayo
-2 dashes Tabasco sauce
-2 cloves garlic
-1 bunch green onions, chopped
-1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-juice from 1/2 lemon
-1 tsp horseradish
-1 Tbsp tomato paste

Serve with sliced English cucumber or crackers

Light Ranch Dressing from Cottage Cheese

A fellow friend and food blogger, Hannah from Never Fail to Impress showed me a new and revolutionary way to make my all-time-favorite dressing: Ranch.  I love ranch out of the bottle, but even better is homemade buttermilk ranch.  This is a "skinnier" version than the regular ranch dressing recipe.  People either love or hate cottage cheese, but when blended in this recipe, you'll never even notice it's there!  I served it as a dip with an array of veggies for a fabulously light appetizer.

Ingredients:


-1 packet of dry ranch dressing seasoning packet
-2 cups of low-fat cottage cheese
-1/4 - 1/2 cup of water

Gadgets Needed:


-Food Processor or Blender

Endives with Goat Cheese, Mandarin Oranges and Almonds

This is one of my first restaurant re-creations, which has become my new favorite thing to do.  It's somewhat of a challenge to guess the ingredients and see if I can recreate it.  This was an easy recipe to start with considering the menu basically listed the ingredients for me.  Each quarter we have meetings at our headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland and end up at Jaleo at least once per visit, which then turns out to be around 4-6 times a year and I'm not complaining; it's fabulous!

Ingredients:


-2 Belgium endives (found in most grocery stores near the lettuce..just ask someone)
-1 can mandarin oranges (reserve liquid)
-1 (5.3 oz) Chavrie goat's cheese
-1 small pkg sliced almonds
-2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
-sea salt and pepper to taste

Deviled Eggs with Basil Aioli and Crispy Capers

Those who follow the food blogs surely know of Molly Wizenberg of Orangette. If you don't you really should check her out.  Not only are her recipes fab, but her pictures are just as scrumptious. The deviled eggs themselves are fairly standard, but what makes them so irresistible are the lovely garnishes. The creamy sweet basil aioli is a great balance with the crunch of salty capers. Basically, these became a few continuous meals for me the other week.  You better believe this will be the next appetizer I bring to a party!

Ingredients for Eggs:

-12 eggs

-1 Tbsp olive oil

-2 Tbsp small jarred capers

-6 Tbsp light mayo

-2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

-1 lemon juice

-1/4 tsp salt

Ingredients for Basil Aioli:

-1/4 packed fresh basil leaves

-1 garlic clove

-1/2 tsp lemon juice

-2 Tbsp olive oil

-1/2 cup light mayo

-salt to taste

Healthy Zucchini Fries

I had some leftover zucchini after the Zucchini Ribbons and had to put them to use.  A fellow friend and food blogger, Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean posted a great and healthy use for the squash! I used her recipe along with a few other versions she posted to come up with my own version.  I made a Romesco Sauce for dipping although a jar of marinara would do just fine. 

These are a great alternatives to regular fries due to the veggies and baking instead of potatoes and baking.  Using just egg whites instead of yolks and whites is healthy as well.  Most of fat content in the egg is from the yolk.  

Ingredients:

-4 zucchini or yellow squash (I used a mix of both)

-2 egg whites

-1 1/2 cups of panko breadcrumbs

-1/4 cup parmesan cheese

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

-1/4 tsp cumin

-1 tsp dried basil

-1 tsp dried oregano

-salt and pepper to taste

Romesco Sauce Recipe and Ingredients Here

Light Romesco Sauce

Please don't be shocked...this recipe is from Skinny Dips. I promise I'll stop, but it's hard.  They're just so yummy and light! I made this dip to go with the Zucchini Fries. My roommate liked the dip so much that she stopped eating zucchini fries and just took a spoon to the sauce. No joke! I should have warned her of the garlic abundance because she was on her way to a wedding...oops. Sorry, Lee, but you'll miss me when I'm gone! :)

Ingredients: 

-2 medium ancho chiles

-4 large garlic cloves

-1 large roasted red bell pepper

-1 cup almonds, toasted

-1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

-2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

-1 1/4 tsp sea salt

-1 tsp Spanish smoked paprika

-1/4 tsp sugar

-1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

-2 Tbsp olive oil