Good morning, afternoon or night! It’s Friday morning and the frost is lining the trees.  A gorgeous start to the day. What a better way to start off your day than a balanced nutritious breakfast. Wow – that sounds like something from a parenting report or a TV commercial – but you know better.

I am really just making a glorious transition into today’s post. This dish is really not in need of a recipe but I thought I would share it with you as just a different option in the morning. Some folks have cereal, others do eggs and toast, maybe some oatmeal, yogurt and fruit, pancakes or waffles – which are all great choices.

Today, I wanted to share a quinoa breakfast as an alternative to oatmeal.  Before doing so, here are some quick facts on QUINOA

Quinoa Nutrition: The most protein of any grain, great source of vitamins & minerals – iron, magnesium, Vit E, potassium, amino acids, fiber – ideal for vegetarian or vegan diets.

Cooking Quinoa: Simple to cook, like rice. Cooked quinoa looks a bit like couscous, but is more substantial and slightly crunchy.

Prep & Cook Time: 5 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook time

For the dish below, I followed the instructions on the bag/box and topped it with some fresh fruit, a few almonds and a drizzle of maple syrup.  It was actually quite tasty.  I never realized the nutritional value in Quinoa until recently.  We bought a huge bag at Costco on the weekend so it is experimental time for me.

Question of the Day:

What s your favorite way to prepare Quinoa?

A couple of Frosty shots

I hope you have a great Friday, leave a comment or hit me up on twitter or even post it on my facebook.  Looking forward to hearing all the ways to prepare quinoa.  Have a fun filled weekend and I will see you on Monday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

The finally portion of this post title is for me.  I have been telling myself what feels like years that I am going to make a gluten free cookie to share with you and my family.  Finally the time has come where I did it and I was totally surprised by the results.  Not that I thought they would taste terrible but I was not expecting that they would be this yummy.

To put it in perspective, they lasted 3 hours and 15 minutes.  zesty juniors, Mrs zesty and a couple of zesty in laws popped over after the cookies made their way out of the oven and every one gave the thumbs up.  I had to improvise slightly with the recipe as I found it was a little dry prior to adding the chips.  That is when I went with the yogurt addition.  As I said earlier, the results were very positive.

When I took them out of the oven I was a bit skeptical.  They were very delicate and I thought maybe I made them too thin.  Zesty junior was the first tester and my biggest critic.  His face said it all and as he placed the cookie on the counter and immediately placed “two” thumbs up – I knew we had a winner.

I am not gloating by any stretch but I seriously suggest to try these cookies.  For the recipe, I had put a number of recipes together based on the ingredients I had on hand.  In the end I used this recipe as a guide and modified a few ingredients based on taste and added in the yogurt.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup butter (softened)
• 11/4 Cup  rice flour
• 1/2  Cup white sugar
• 1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. Plain Yogurt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 Tsp. Baking soda
• 1/2 Tsp. Baking powder
• 1 Bag chocolate chips

Method

1. In a bowl beat butter,flour, sugars, egg, baking soda and powder with an electric mixer until well blended.
2. Add yogurt and mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Add in chocolate chips and mix with a fork.



4. Drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet ( makes about 24 normal size cookies – I made 16 )  I also flattened them down a little so they would be thin and chewy.



5. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.
6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: I added sliced almonds to the second batch and made them slightly larger.  They puffed up slightly higher but still had the soft texture.  The almonds added a nice crunch and texture.  In the future, if no one was looking I would add the almonds every time.

Have a super Wednesday!  I cannot believe the week  is half over already.  Stay tuned on Friday as I announce the final arrangements for the Disney World trip and a very special thanks to a fellow blogger.  Talk to you on Friday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

I dropped the ball on Monday and forgot to schedule my post for 8 am as always so it sat in draft mode until I realized around 2:00 that it was not live.  Oh dear – what a doofus.  So with that being said your Google readers did not get updated with the Juicer Recipes post until yesterday because I have my feed burner set to update at 12:00pm.  My bad and I am sorry.  However, on the positive side of things – it is looking like I am posting two days in a row.

Not the case but wait until you see this beauty!  A simple avocado and egg salad with a splash of balsamic vinaigrette – simply delicious.  The health kick is pushing forward day after day and I am actually loving it.  Now don’t get me wrong, I still eat a little treat here and there but very much in moderation.  Mrs. Zesty and I are teaming up and by doing it together it is quite fun and motivating.  Not that I was a terrible eater before i would sometimes over indulge in some unnecessary snacks at random times of the day.

Without further a do – feast your eyes on this salad.  Totally random but lovely just the same.  Do you think it is weird that a guy uses the word “lovely” a lot?  Oh boy, i am getting off topic a lot today…. my apologies.

Ingredients

• Spring Greens
• Avocado
• Hard boiled egg
• Sliced almonds
• Blackberries
• Grape tomatoes
• Balsamic Vinegar

Method

1. Wash and prep greens, berries and tomatoes
2. Peel and chop hard boiled egg
3. Peel and chop the avocado
4. Add all ingredients together in a bowl
5. Toss and dress with a drizzle of balsamic.
6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Peel your avocado just before you are ready to eat the salad and give it a little squirt with some fresh lemon juice to keep it from going brown so quickly.

A great salad for a lunch or even a light dinner.

This salad is very versatile and of course you can add whatever you want.  Cold chicken would be a great alternative if you like that or you could even add some garbanzo beans for some extra flavor.

My whole take on salad is add what you like to eat and be simple with the dressing.  The one thing that I do not like about salad is when the dressing is too heavy and the greens become soggy and limp.  Keep it fresh and crunchy.  Have an amazing Wednesday and keep your chin up.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Welcome to my kitchen for a little mid week Wednesday fun!  Do you ever watch the show chopped on the Food Network – I happen to LOVE it.  Here is the premise if you are not familiar.

“Chopped” the Show

The series challenges four up-and-coming chefs to turn a selection of everyday ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal. After each course, a contestant gets “chopped” until the last man or woman left standing claims victory. Each week, a rotating panel of culinary elite judges decide whose dishes shine the brightest and award the winner $10,000.

Here is my spin on the whole version of mystery basket of ingredients and a 45 minute time frame to complete the entree.

Ingredients

• 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Grape Tomatoes
• 1 Garlic clove
• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1/4 Cup slivered almonds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Warm a large saute pan over medium heat and add oil, tomatoes and garlic – cook down for about 5 minutes





3. Add basil and remove from heat.
4. Lay the chicken on parchment/wax paper and another piece on top and hammer the chicken using a heavy blunt object. I chose a big pan.







5. Once flattened to your desired consistency, start adding the filling and rolling/folding the chicken over.  Once complete, you can top with the almonds or roll your chicken in them depending on how tight your roll is…. mine was kind of loose.  I was rushing for the time clock.



6. Return the chicken to the pan and sear on both sides until brown.



7. Add chicken to a oven safe baking pan and complete the cooking process; about 20 minutes.



8. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: I really feel the key to this dish is searing the chicken prior to roasting it in the oven.  The tomato and garlic combination as well as the almonds create a flavor on the outside.  The last thing you want is to have a dry flavorless chicken which can easily happen.

Well there you have it!  A super fun game to play in your kitchen and really focus on keeping it simple but not sacrificing flavor.  Overall, What is your favorite food to cook of all time? I am going to dedicate an entire post to this but I just wanted to throw the question out there.  Have a super Wednesday and I will see you all on Friday for yet another salad post by zesty.  Can you believe this health kick I am on? – I am loving it!

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

What a weekend!  I don’t know about  you but the weather here in zesty land was absolutely fabulous.  Playing at the park, driving bicycles, washing  cars and even dusting off the vintage chino plaid shorts was in order for this past weekend.  Just a much needed break from work as well as a time to love the SUN.  To summarize the weekend in one word – FANTASTIC.

Now when you are speaking with zesty you know I always evaluate fantastic with food in some way shape or form.  This was no exception.  We had a huge Easter family dinner yesterday at Mother Zesty’s which included prime rib and a pork roast followed by all the trimmings.   Dessert was comprised of homemade cherry cheesecake, toffee fill tarts, chocolate dipped strawberries and homemade sugar cookies avec sprinkles.  It was delicious!

For today’s dish, I want to go back to a little leftover dish.  I know some people love leftovers and others will not see themselves eating them.  I am one who loves using leftovers to make a different dish.  Take for example the pork roast I made 2 weeks ago.  There was a bag of left over meat off the roast that I wanted to use a few days after I cooked to avoid having to throw it out.  I remember I had a bought a head of broccoli and a light bulb went off in my head…. Beef Pork and Broccoli!

This is a super easy lunch and one that I found very satisfying and tasty.  I used the Chef Hymie Sweet Barbecue Glaze – which is amazing!!  It gave the pork a lovely flavor and enhanced the flavor that it already had from the balsamic chili crust from the original roasting.

Ingredients

• 1 Head of broccoli
• 2 Cups of cooked pork
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp. Chef Hymie Sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Water
• 1 Tbsp. Slivered almonds
• 1 Clove garlic
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat sauce pan/wok to medium high heat.



2. Start pan frying the pork and garlic to heat through; about 4 minutes.
3. Add the broccoli, salt and pepper and begin to stir fry; 2 minutes ( try coating all the broccoli pieces with the oil and pork flavor )
4. Add water and steam broccoli with a lid for 1 minute.
5. Remove cover, add chef hymie sauce and cook down for another 2 minutes.





6. Top with slivered almonds and serve.
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip:  I like to use the water and the lid just to give the broccoli an extra minute to cook through in the center.  I do love my broccoli crunchy in this dish but you want to avoid the broccoli being dry and cold in the center.  The barbecue glaze will help char and darken the outside of the broccoli and lock in the flavor.

So there you go, a quick weekend recap, an even quicker lunch but with no flavor missing!!  Hope you have a great Easter Monday and I will see you all on Wednesday for another giveaway.  Can you believe it?  I think this one may be a fun giveaway to win…. stay tuned.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

It’s Friday!!  Last night I was trying to think of what to make for supper and I remember picking up some green beans and I thought it would be a great side dish to go with some baked haddock.  It was so nice to have just a simple dinner after a long day.  I was really impressed with the flavor combination on the beans.  Balsamic vinegar is a great addition to any quick vegetable saute.

To finish off the beans, I topped them with Parmesan cheese and sliced almonds.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of Green Beans
• 1 Tbsp. Water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. Basil Paste
• Sea Salt
• Cracked Black Pepper
• Sliced almonds
• Parmesan Cheese

Method

1. Preheat saute pan on high and add the water and beans.







Kitty on the counter making sure everything is going according to plan.

2. Cook beans until the water dissolves about 3 minutes and then add balsamic vinegar, garlic and basil paste



3. Stir fry for another minute and add the pepper.
4. Top off with sliced almonds and Parmesan cheese
5. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: To make a garlic paste, slice the garlic finely and add a little bit of salt on the board and rub the garlic back and forth over it on the board.  The salt will break down the garlic and make a great paste for the beans.

So there you have it!  A quick and simple bean dish for absolutely everyone.  Try it and let me know what you think.  As I was eating it last night I thought that a nice addition would be a splash of some red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to really quick it up.  Nonetheless I enjoyed it!

I hope you have an awesome Friday and a great Valentine’s day!  We have a busy weekend lined up with the Olympics, Jack Frost Winter Festival, and some music lessons.  Enjoy your weekend and we shall talk on Monday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Happy Wednesday to you!  I am not sure if you noticed or not but I didn’t post yesterday.  In the new year I am starting to focus on growing zesty to be a bigger and better blog.  In order to do so I have chosen to post 2-3 times a week and focus on high quality and value added information for you.  I have felt in the past 4-6 weeks that my posts have been sub par and I would like to change that.

With that being said and off my chest I would like to deliver a fantastic recipe that was part of the New Years celebration.  It was ridiculously good.  Please note that this recipe does not have to be limited to Trout.  This can be used on anything… chicken, eggplant, pork – you name it.  The flavor of this dish was over the moon.  The tomato compote was so delicious and really was a nice compliment to the fish.

Ingredients

• 1 Fillet trout
• 1 Pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 Small onion minced
• 4 Cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2  Tsp. coarse salt
• 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar ( or red wine vinegar)
• 1/2 Tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 Tsp. white sugar
• 2 Tbsp. slivered almonds.
• 1 Tbsp. minced basil
• 1 Cup fresh breadcrumbs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Heat a saucepan that can go into the oven pan over medium heat and add onions, stirring occasionally until tender soft, 7 minutes.
3. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook a further 4 minutes.
4. To the mixture add salt, vinegar, and sugar and place in oven for about 12 minutes.
5. Toast the nuts in the interim and after the 12 minutes add to the dish.
6. Still, raise the temperature to 425 F and cook around 8 minutes or until the mixture had dried considerably. Add basil and stir.The dish can be made ahead to here.







7. Place trout on pan, spoon the tomato mixture over, then add breadcrumbs and bake at 350 F until the fish flakes easily.





8. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: What you may see happen is that the top of the fish will get too brown before the center of the fish is cooked.  If that happens cover the breadcrumb with foil and continue cooking until the center of the fish is done.

So there you have it…. a delicious recipe that is way easier than it sounds. 

Do you ever think a recipe is to complex so you just avoid it and either make something else that you are not happy with or order takeout? It does happen to me periodically but for the most part I am pretty open to try just about anything and be prepared to eat it regardless of how it turns out.

Some Cool Finds Over the Holidays

• Sweet Pumpkin Fritters compliments of Kevin over at Closetcooking.  If you have yet to check out Kevin’s recipes as of yet I suggest you do so.  Admire the honey syrup for these fritters… insane!

• I got my hands on the Pioneer Woman’s Cookbook.  It is pretty awesome.  Does anyone else have a copy?

I hope you have a great Wednesday and I will see you all on Friday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Well Well Well…. Last week was a whirlwind and it feels like I am so far behind in literally everything.  I flew home from Washington DC on Friday afternoon and had to rush home for a work conference call with a client that was having some difficulty.

After that I quickly hopped in the car to go to the job site and check out the progress on the house.  When I got there – I was pleasantly surprised.  I had an inside track of the progress that was being made but to see it in front of your eyes is pretty neat.

The roof has begun!  So exciting.  I was speaking with the roofer to ensure I can schedule him when needed and discuss some final touches on the exterior finish.  We are getting to a point now where some major decisions have to be made.  I have included some more shots on the progress of the house down below.

As for a summer sandwich… this tuna sandwich is so easy.

Crisp Tuna Salad with Grapes

This sandwich really offers a unique flavor and contrast with the grapes and raisins from the bread.  I was thrilled with the results.  This is what I put together for a quick final summer lunch on the run.

Ingredients

• 2 Pieces Raisin Bread
• 1 Can of Chunk White Tuna
• 1 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
• Pepper
• 1/4 Cup of grapes ( sliced )

Method

1. Slice a couple of pieces of raisin bread on the thick side
2. Drain tuna and place into a bowl



3. Add mayonnaise and pepper.
4. Wash and slice the grapes and add to the mixture; fold gently.



5. Spoon some of the mixture on the bread.



6. Complete the sandwich, slice and serve with some almonds
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: If you like your sandwiches cold like me – I like to store the tuna in the fridge.  That way, you can make and eat it right away with that chilled summer fresh taste.

House Update

Here are some pictures to capture the latest updates on the house progress.

Have yourself a great Monday!  I look forward to giving you an exciting update later in the week.

Take are

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Happy Wednesday! As we continue with the catering dishes today I bring you a little taste of India with a crunch.

These toasted curry chicken bites were the star of the show. Even though they are a little time consuming in the preparation phase, they are well worth the effort.  The real effort is in the creation of the sandwich. The filling, on the other hand, is quite simple to whip together as long as you can keep your fork out of it.

These combination of flavors and textures just makes me smile. So without further a do, lets get on to what you will need to create these toasted curry chicken bites.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Cooked chicken (chopped)
• 3/4 Cup Mayonnaise
• 3/4 Cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
• 3/4 Cup Chopped Almonds
• 2 Tsp. Curry Powder
• 2 Tsp. Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper
• 1/4 Cup Melted Butter
• 18 Slices Whole Wheat Bread (crust removed)

Method

1. Preheat Oven to 375°.
2. Mix thoroughly all ingredients except melted butter into a bowl.
3. Roll out slices of bread with a rolling pin until very flat.
4. Add ~ 1 tbsp. of mixture to the bread.
5. Roll bread like a Jelly Roll.
6. Cut in two, pierce with toothpick to hold it together and brush with melted butter.
7. Complete remainder of sandwiches.
8. Bake for 15 Minutes at 375°.
9. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: For these little bites, I made them the evening before and cooked them until crispy.  At the night of the party, I just put them in a 400° oven to warm them through and achieve the crunch again.

Question of the day:  What is your favorite Indian dish (if you like Indian cuisine)?  I hope you have a great day and I look forward to your feedback.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Monday is here again!  I hope you had a great weekend.  Mine was great minus all the cleaning we did to prepare for the open house on Sunday but oh well, things you have to do.

The weather was really cold all weekend, very very cold.  Other than scooting out for groceries and some other necessities such as chocolate covered almonds and licorice babies, the traveling was pretty much kept to a minimum.

This quick sandwich I am sharing today is a super simple staple at the zesty house.  It takes a total of 9 minutes to make which in my mind is pretty awesome.  I find the hardest thing to do is cook when you are beyond hungry.  The next time you are in that situation – this sandwich is your answer!

For grilling in the winter I use my Hamilton Beach Indoor Grill.  It is simple and easy to clean which, for me, are keys to an essential kitchen gadget.

Ingredients

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• Cooking Spray
• Baby Spinach
• Cheddar Cheese (Or whatever cheese you have on hand)
• Whole Wheat Roll/Bun

Method

1. Preheat Grill.
2. Coat top and bottom of grill with cooking spray.
3. Place chicken breast on grill and close the lid.
4. Wait for 8 minutes, meanwhile toast your bun and prepare your cheese and spinach toppings.
5. Assemble Sandwich and top with your favorite condiment (I went with the basil mayonnaise ) and a great side dish (Oven Baked Fries).



6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When using an indoor grill, I like to keep the meat as plain as possible while cooking to avoid burning and big mess.  In order to avoid having a bland sandwich, take the opportunity to kick up your condiments and toppings.

Here are some of the treats that I picked up on Saturday…. Yummm

Licorice Babies

Chocolate Covered Almonds

Ju Jubes

Macaroon Truffles

I hope that you have a great week.  I am not totally sure what to share with you for tomorrow.  Do you have something you want to see?  Tell Zesty what to make!

Take Care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty