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Thank goodness it’s the weekend. Besides the chance to sleep in, you have a bit more time to put some thought into home cooking. So, I’ve gathered a few mouthwatering recipes to test out this weekend.
I’m in denial that the summer is over, eventhough it’s a little chilly out, the sun is out and BBQ season is still going strong. Enjoy it before the weather gets dark and gloomy.
Test Recipe #1:
Healthy Garden Salad (adapted from Ask Chef's)
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, juiced
1 teaspoon white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1 pound) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)
3 cups frozen corn kernels
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
Directions
In a large serving bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, cilantro, lime juice, sugar, salt and garlic. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the soybeans and boil for 3 minutes. Add corn to the boiling water and continue cooking for 1 more minute. Drain very well, and pour into the bowl with the dressing. Gently mix in the cherry tomatoes, green onions and black beans. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to chill and blend the flavors.
Test Recipe #2
Sweet Potato Tahini Bean Burgers (adapted from Lunch Box Bunch)
- Tender sweet potato
- Rustic white beans.
- Toasted grain bun
- Romaine leaves
- Avocado
- Dijon
- Pepper
- Zesty onion.
Direction:
You simply take a baked sweet potato, some soft canned beans (I used cannellini white beans) add in a few accents, mash, sauté and serve. You can also bake for a healthier preparation. And you could add in other whole food ingredients too like brown rice, finely chopped apple, or hemp seeds! Or pan-fry with a splash of safflower oil.
Test Recipe #3:
Grilled Pesto Shrimp Skewers (adapted from Skinnytaste.com)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (weight after peeled)
- kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
- 7 wooden skewers
Directions:
In a food processor pulse basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil while pulsing.
Combine raw shrimp with pesto and marinate a few hours in a bowl. Soak wooden skewers in water at least 20 minutes (or use metal ones to avoid this step). Thread shrimp onto 7 skewers.
Need a food processor? Here are a few to check out:
The Breville Sous Chef Food Processor makes processing easier and faster, and with better results. An extra-wide feed chute accommodates larger food items, and the slicing disc has 24 settings so you can customize thickness. The 'S' blade cuts through the toughest textures, and a 16-cup bowl lets you process more at once. Finally, a 1200 watt induction motor ensures powerful performance for years.
For the ultimate versatility, this food processor offers a three-bowl set of a 12-cup work bowl, 10-cup chef's bowl, and 4-cup mini bowl for all of your preparation needs. Versatile discs and blades handle a variety of tasks, from precise slicing to kneading yeast dough.
The Hamilton Beach 10 cup capacity Food Processor accommodates any processing job and family meal preparation. The on-off-pulse with rocker switch provides added speed with pulse and rocker action which gives more control; consumers can customize to taste the processing results, from chunky to extra smooth.
Even during the winter you can still BBQ your food for a better flavor, with an indoor grill. Here is Future Shop’s top picks:
Breville Ikon Indoor Grill
The Breville Ikon Grill comes with a stainless-steel body and a 1800-watt grill. The great thing about this grill is that the top plate comes with six preset heights. What that means is that you can adjust the height accordingly to serve your meal desire. For example, the height will change depending on what you grill, whether it’s
medium-rare steak, or something a little more delicate like fish, or a napoleon pizza. Bon Appetite.
Breville is taking the grill to the next level with the Ikon Removable Plate Grill (BGR400XL), a versatile indoor grill that allows today's home chef to enjoy healthy BBQ meals year-round. It has a large surface area and when folded, stores on its spine so it takes up very little counter or cupboard space.
Cuisinart Griddler Grill
Attention all multi-taskers, this is the grill to check out. The Griddler Grill includes a top tier that converts from a grill to griddle. And the bottom tier can automatically rotate skewers at the same time. It comes with a dishwasher-safe drip tray making it easy to clean. Also includes a ten-piece stainless steel skewers set and a ten-piece hot dog roller set. So you can make veggie kebabs, burgers and hot dogs, all at the same time.
Presenting a grill that can do it all, all at once! The Griddler Grill Centro features a top tier that converts from grill to griddle and a bottom tier that automatically rotates skewers at the same time! It's built to last with solid stainless and die-cast construction, yet is easy to clean with removable, dishwasher-safe drip trays. So get grilling!
Hamilton Beach Meal Maker Express Contact Grill
To grill the fastest and healthiest meal, you’ll need the Hamilton Beach Meal Maker Express. This grill offers a grid system that gets the fat to drip away from the foods and meats. Plus, the grid is nonstick and dishwasher safe for an easy clean up. This indoor grill cooks food on both sides at once, so that you can prepare a healthy meal in about 10 minutes or less. A nice feature on the Hamilton Beach is the automatic shutoff timer to prevent from over-cooking.
This non-stick contact grill has a special double hinge that allows the top to fold back for open face grilling. It features a cooking timer with auto shut-off, non-skid feet and grill grid systems that let fat drip away from food while cooking, for low fat grilling even when laying flat. Removable dishwasher safe grids and large built-in dishwasher safe grease tray, makes clean up easy.
