Mango Rice Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Trina's Pick of the Day!

This recipe personally makes me want to eat my computer monitor! It looks soo good lol. Enjoy making this one!!!

This dish teams sweet mangoes with curry-marinated shrimp and crunchy vegetables. Customize the recipe to suit your preferences--try chicken in place of shrimp, or omit the shrimp and serve the salad cold or at room temperature as a side dish. For added flavor, use basmati or jasmine rice.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 skewers and about 1 cup salad)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 36 shrimp)
• 2 cups water
• 2/3 cup light coconut milk
• 1 1/4 cups uncooked long-grain rice
• 3/4 cup shredded carrot
• 2 cups diced peeled mango (about 2 mangoes)
• 1 1/2 cups diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
• Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Bring water and coconut milk to a boil in a medium saucepan; add rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Add carrot and next 7 ingredients (through salt); toss gently to combine.

Prepare grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

Thread 3 shrimp onto each of 12 (6-inch) skewers. Place skewers on grill rack or grill pan coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done. Serve skewers over salad. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

342 (11% from fat)

Fat:

4.1g (sat 1.8g,mono 0.5g,poly 1g)

Protein:

27.4g

Carbohydrate:

48.9g

Fiber:

2.9g

Cholesterol:

172mg

Iron:

5.3mg

Sodium:

478mg

Calcium:

95mg

Credit goes to Cooking Light for the recipe and picture!!

Tuna Spiedini (AKA Tuna Kabobs)

We haven't added much fish recipes lately. So I decided to add this one. Very good for summer cookouts!! And also very healthy!!!

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

30 min

Cook Time:

12 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

12 skewers, 6 servings

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 3/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Skewers:

• 1 pound tuna, cut into 1-inch cubes, about 24 pieces
• 12 green onions, trimmed
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 2 lemons
• 1 large red onion
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Directions

For the marinade: Mix together all the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.

For the skewers: Toss the cubed tuna in the marinade and let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green onions and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the green onions to a medium bowl of ice water. When the green onions are cool, pat dry with paper towels. Trim the stalks and the root end off the fennel. Halve the fennel lengthwise then cut each half into 3 pieces. Cut each lemon into 6 pieces. Cut the red onion in half from stem to root end. Cut each half in half again lengthwise and cut each quarter into thirds. There should be 12 pieces of each vegetable.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the tuna and toss the vegetables in the marinade. Thread each skewer starting with a tomato. Then begin to thread the green onion starting with the tip of the white end. Add a piece of tuna. Keeping the ingredients near to the top of the skewer, ribbon the green onion around a piece of tuna and back through the skewer. Next add the red onion, and ribbon the green onion around again and onto the skewer. Next add another piece of tuna, and ribbon the green onion around again and onto the skewer. Next add a piece of fennel, and ribbon the green onion around for the final time. Top with a piece of lemon. Center the ingredients on the skewer.

Place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Credit goes to Food Network for the recipe and picture!!

Watermelon Boat!!

Impress everyone at a party with this creation!!!!

Ingredients:

• At first cut a thin slice from bottom of watermelon with a sharp knife to allow it to sit flat. • With a long sharp knife, cut the melon longitudinally and gently pull off the top section. • Cut the corner of melon in saw-tooth shape with a sharp knife. • Remove center with the help of a melon ball scoop, leaving an inch of melon fruit intact. • Now in a large bowl, combine honeydew, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes and watermelon; spoon into boat and serve chilled. How to make Watermelon Boat: • At first cut a thin slice from bottom of watermelon with a sharp knife to allow it to sit flat. • With a long sharp knife, cut the melon longitudinally and gently pull off the top section. • Cut the corner of melon in saw-tooth shape with a sharp knife. • Remove center with the help of a melon ball scoop, leaving an inch of melon fruit intact. • Now in a large bowl, combine honeydew, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes and watermelon; spoon into boat and serve chilled. Credit goes to for the recipe!!

Cranberry-Pear Tossed Salad

Prep Time: 15min

Ready In: 15min

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup apricot nectar 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1/3 cup canola oil 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 12 cups torn mixed salad greens 3 medium pears, sliced 1/2 cup dried cranberries 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.	For dressing, in a bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients; set aside. In a heavy skillet, melt sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add walnuts; stir to coat. Remove from the heat.
2.	In a large salad bowl, combine greens, pears and cranberries. Drizzle with dressing. Add nuts and blue cheese (optional); toss.

Happy Summer everyone!!!

Because of summer being here we're going to start uploading and sending out some healthy recipes!! Including some fruit salads, veggie recipes ect. The next post will be a Cranberry-Pear Tossed Salad! This recipe will be a big hit come 4th of July! I'm also working on finding a fruit salad in a watermelon shell. Those are huge hits for summer holidays!!

Beef Taco Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing

Prep Time:

35 min

Inactive Prep Time:

10 min

Cook Time:

12 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

For the Meat:

• 3/4 pound lean ground beef (90 percent lean or higher)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/3 cup water

For the dressing:

• 4 medium tomatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

• 2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar
• 2 ounces baked corn tortilla chips (about 32 chips)

Directions

To prepare the meat, heat a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink, stirring occasionally and breaking the meat up with the spoon. Add the garlic and beans and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the chili powder, cayenne and water and stir until well combined and some but not all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly. Meat mixture may be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To make the tomato dressing, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes (with their juices), oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Dressing may be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Place 2 cups of lettuce on each plate or in a lunch container. Top each serving with 1 cup of the beef mixture then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cheese. If making to-go, pack 3/4 cup of the tomato mixture in a separate sealable container and put about 8 chips in a separate bag. Right before eating, pour a portion of the tomato mixture with the liquid on top of each salad, and crush tortilla chips on top.

Nutritional analysis per serving (Serving size: 2 cups lettuce, 1 cup beef mixture, 2 tablespoons cheese, 3/4 cup of tomato mixture, and about 8 crushed tortilla chips)

Calories 430; Total Fat 22 g; (Sat Fat 8 g, Mono Fat 10 g, Poly Fat 2 g) ; Protein 29 g; Carb 36 g; Fiber 9 g; Cholesterol 70 mg; Sodium 770 mg

Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc

Good source of: Riboflavin, Vitamin K, Manganese

Credit goes to Food Network

Vegetable Lasagna

Vegetable Lasagna

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed, plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic, plus 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 24 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 medium yellow squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 portobello mushroom, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare tomato sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cloves crushed garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add dried oregano, basil, and parsley and stir. Add crushed tomatoes and salt and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and dried thyme. Place zucchini on a sheet pan and brush with olive oil mixture. Bake until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Marinate the eggplant and yellow squash in the remaining olive oil mixture for a few minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and saute until fragrant. Add sliced button mushrooms and saute until tender. Set aside. Meanwhile, place marinated vegetables in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.

Line the bottom of a casserole dish with the baked zucchini slices. Add half of the eggplant and squash mixture. Top with half of the tomato sauce and then spread the ricotta cheese over. Arrange portobello slices over top and then sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Top with the sauteed mushroom mixture. Top with remaining eggplant and squash mixture. Spread remaining tomato sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and all of the Parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted and brown, about 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into and serving.

~Courtesy of FoodNetwork