Thursday, October 31, 2013

Kale Salad

Servings:  10 -- big enough for a BBQ!  You can divide the portions equally if you want to make less servings.  This salad keeps well overnight too!  It's actually better tasting the longer it marinates.

5-6 cups kale, washed and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup diced red onions
1/2 cup cherry red tomatoes
1/3 cup feta cheese

Dressing:
Juice of one lemon
2 tsp Wildtree Garlic Galore blend
1/4 cup Natural Grapeseed Oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Ranchers Steak Rub
1/2 teaspoon California Pepper Blend

Mix kale, cranberries, tomatoes, nuts and onion in glass bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients.  Pour dressing over kale and toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight 6 hours or more is best!  Before serving, toss in feta cheese.

Tasty Tuna Burgers

2 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained
1 egg
1/4 cup gluten free bread crumbs
1/3 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced celery
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/4 cup mayo (I use Vegenaise)
4 TBSP Leslie's Smoky Burger sauce
1/4 tsp Dill Dip Blend
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 dash Worcestershire sauce

4 hamburger buns
1 tomato, sliced
4 leaves of lettuce


Combine tuna, egg, bread crumbs, onion, celery, red bell pepper, mayo, Leslie's smoky burger sauce, Dill Dip blend, pepper, and worcestershire.  Mix well.  Shape into 4 patties.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes to make the patties easier to handle, if desired.

Coat a skillet with 1 TBSP Grapeseed Oil; fry tuna patties for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through.  These are fragile, so be careful when turning them.

Serve on buns with tomato slices and lettuce leaves.

Tuna Pasta Salad

2 tsp lemon zest
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup mayo (I use Vegannaise)
2 tsp Wildtree Italian Salad Dressing Mix
8 oz penne pasta, prepared according to package directions
1 (5 ounce) can tuna, drained
10 green olives, sliced
3/4 cup diced cucumber

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, mayo, and Italian Dressing Mix.  Add the remaining ingredients; stir to combine.  Chill until you are ready to eat.

Strawberry & Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing


One of the number one questions I get asked as a nutritionist is what type of salad dressings are the best. I have two answers:
     --
Ones you make yourself
      --Ones made with grapeseed and/or olive oil
When you make your dressings yourself - you will always use a higher quality oil (does anyone out there have soybean oil in their pantry?) and you will rarely ever even come close to the amount of sugar and sodium typically added to dressings -- let alone all the additives and preservatives.


So here's how you make the Poppy Seed Vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together:


1/2 cup Rice Vinegar
1/4 cup Natural Grapeseed Oil
2-3 tablespoons of sugar or you can do like me and use a combination of sugar & stevia
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. Ranchers Steak Rub
2 tsp. poppy seeds

To make the salad you will need:


1 bag, bunch, package of baby spinach
1 cup of fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4-1/3 cup pecans or walnuts - 


Roast nuts stovetop with a tsp. of maple syrup or honey - heat the pan - toss in the nuts - watching closely as they will burn quickly - as soon as they heat - toss with the maple syrup or honey and remove from heat. Let cool then toss on the salad.

Smoky Bacon Sauteed Asparagus


**You can just as easily roast this in the oven as saute' stove top.

1 bunch of asparagus - trimmed & cleaned - then chopped into three's

1 TBSP Wildtree's Smoky Bacon Grapeseed Oil


Heat the Smoky Bacon Grapeseed oil in a skillet and toss in the asparagus.

Greek Turkey Burgers


2 lbs ground lean turkey (I prefer this to turkey breast which I find dry in a burger)
2 Tablespoons Wildtree Opa! Greek Seasoning
1 Tsp. Wildtree Ranchers Steak Rub
1-2 cups chopped baby spinach
1/4-1/3 cup feta cheese


Mix all ingredients above together and form into patties. Saute' stove top in garlic or natural grapeseed oil or throw on the grill or a George Foreman grill.


 Top with some Wildtree Tzatziki (this is the Tzatziki seasoning blend mixed with greek yogurt and fresh diced cucumbers - the recipe is right on the container)

Zucchini Hummus


1 large or 1 1/2 medium zucchini, peeled & chopped
1/2 cup tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic (you could also substitute Garlic Galore here if you were out of  fresh garlic)
1/2 tsp Wildtree's Ranchers Rub
1 rounded teaspoon Wildtree's Guacamole seasoning blend


Mix well in food processor or high speed blender until smooth.
YUM!!

Spicy Chipotle Ranch Dressing


1/2 cup Mayo (I use Veganaise)
2 tablespoons Wildtree's Spicy Chipotle Ranch seasoning blend
1/2 tsp Wildtree's Ranchers Rub
2 Tablespoons Wildtree's Hickory Smoked Grapeseed Oil
1/4 cup unsweetened Almond Milk (or other milk substitute) --if dressing is too thick for your liking - simply add more almond milk.

Easy Asian Broccoli Slaw


1 package of broccoli slaw
          or 4 cups grated broccoli spears with 1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup sunflower seeds


Dressing:
1/2 cup Rice Vinegar
1/4 cup Wildtree Grapeseed Oil
2 tsp 
Garlic Galore
1 tablespoons Lime Juice
1 tsp
Ranchers Steak Rub
1 tablespoon sugar (or stevia works great as well - to taste)

Asian Turkey Burgers


1 lb lean ground turkey (makes 7 medium sized burgers)
1/2
tsp fresh ground ginger or ginger powder
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce, Tamari, or Coconut Aminos
2 teaspoons
Garlic Galore
1 tsp.
Ranchers Steak Rub
1/3 cup chopped water chestnuts
1/4 cup chopped onion


Mix all together & form into patties. Saute stove top in a little grapeseed oil or put on grill. Top with Wildtree's new Sweet & Spicy Thai Chili Sauce.

Curried Avocado Egg Salad


4 Hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 large avocado, mashed
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1-2 teaspoons chopped onions
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 tsp Wildtree Curried Garlic Blend
1/2 tsp Rancher Steak Rub

 Add  all ingredients to a bowl and mash together with a fork. Season with extra Ranchers to taste. Eat on leaves of Romaine or smooth Kale or if you are like me - put some in a bowl and eat it just like that!

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Sammy T's Gluten Free Bean & Grain Burgers

1 TBSP Natural or Garlic Grapeseed Oil
1 (19 oz) can garbanzo beans
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs
1/4 cup gluten free tamari
1/2 tsp Garlic Galore
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/2 onion, finely chopped

Saute the onion in grapeseed oil. Then grind up the garbanzo beans in a Magic Bullet/Blender and grind up the flaxseed in a mini coffee grinder.  Mix all the ingredients and form into patties.

Dragonfly Studios Mini Quinoa Meatballs

·         ½ cup dry quinoa, pre-rinsed
·         1 cup water
·         1 cup cooked green lentils, well drained
·         ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
·         ½ cup diced onion
·         2 cloves garlic, minced
·         ½ cup gluten free bread crumbs -- We love Ians!!! 
c     *Add crumbs if the meatballs need to be firmer and aren't holding together well
·         ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
2     3 tablespoons Wildtree Hearty Spaghetti Blend
·        Ranchers Rub to taste
·         ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
·         1 egg 
·        1.5  tablespoons European Tuscan Dipping Grapeseed Oil

Directions

Add pre-rinsed quinoa and water to a medium pot, cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking 15 minutes or until water is completely absorbed. In the meantime, in a large non-stick skillet add 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, heat to medium-low and sauté diced onions and bell pepper until tender about 4 minutes, add spaghetti blend and sauté one additional minute.