Oven "Fried" Potato Wedges w/ Balsamic Ketchup

it's good to be bad...

For this rainbow series, given my New Year's resolution to eat better, I'm lightening up some of my favorite comfort foods. It's important to still be able to enjoy some of what I consider comfort or "bad" foods like fries, pasta, and dessert. All in moderation. So, for this series, I'll be lightening up and highlighting the nutrients in each one of these dishes. First, I'm tackling the fry....

There is one easy way to bring down the calorie and fat count with fries and that's to bake them. And while I do this, I'm also taking my potato wedges a few steps further by making them good for you. First, I'm using 3 types of potatoes: red, yellow, and sweet. These varieties have many more benefits compared to the usual russet potato, such as iron, vitamins C/A/B5/B6, thiamin, and much more. Specifically, sweet potatoes contain carotenoids which help fight against disease and promote eye health. Secondly, I'm leaving the skins on the potatoes. That's where so many of the vitamins live and traditional fries strip us of those nutrients. Finally, I'm serving these potato wedges with a balsamic ketchup. Balsamic vinegar is high in antioxidants and it cuts down on the high sugar level found in most ketchups. I think I've given plenty of health reasons to make these fries, but I should also mention, they are tasty! So, make these with dinner tonight, here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Potato Wedges
4-5 Small Red Skin Potatoes
4-5 Small Yellow Skin Potatoes
2 Small Sweet Potatoes
2-3 T Canola Oil
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
Cooking Spray
3 T Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 T Fresh Thyme, chopped

Balsamic Ketchup
1/4 C Ketchup
2-3 T Balsamic Vinegar
2-3 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Clean the potatoes by scrubbing and drying them well. Cut into wedges, making sure each is about the same size. Put them in a bowl, drizzle with the oil, and season with salt. Spray the prepared baking sheets with cooking spray. Evenly distribute the potatoes on the two trays. Be sure to give the wedges space so that they can cook on all sides (and don't steam). Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the Parmesan cheese and thyme together in a small bowl. Once the potatoes have finished cooking on the first side, flip each fry, and sprinkle with the cheese mixture. Put back into the oven and finish cooking, about 10 more minutes.

As the fries finish cooking, make the balsamic ketchup. In a small bowl combine the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking. Set aside.

Serve the fries immediately with the balsamic ketchup. We enjoyed ours with turkey burgers (yep, still working toward eating more poultry this year too). Sometimes, it can be good to be bad. Enjoy!

Caramelized Onion & Brussels Sprout Flatbread

perfect pizza for the holidays...

There are some amazing pizzerias around the Cincinnati area these days. Some of my favorites are A Tavola, Mellow Mushroom, and M. You really should try A Tavola if you haven't - they have some wacky, but tasty, combinations. Two of these restaurants make artisan pizzas with Brussels sprouts. So, I thought I'd make my own for this post. While they have handmade dough, wood-fired ovens, and/or culinary genius, and it would seem I'm at a disadvantage, I have to admit that my version isn't too bad! Just ask my husband or our friend James...

I consider this pizza a flatbread because it's served on a thin crust dough. However, you are free to use your favorite dough, it will be just as tasty. Instead of a regular pizza sauce, I use a ricotta and olive oil spread. This pairs well with the caramelized onion and Brussels sprouts. Finally, I top off this flatbread with Parmesan cheese for salt, dried cranberries for sweet, and balsamic vinegar for sour - hitting many of our senses. This pizza is quite appropriate for the Christmas holiday with all it's red and green. Make it for one of your next get togethers. Here's how...

Ingredients
1 Red Onion, halved & thinly sliced
1 Bag Brussels Sprouts, cleaned & sliced to 1/4 inch thick pieces
1 C Ricotta Cheese (light okay)
3-4 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
1 Thin Crust Pizza Dough (suggest Pillsbury)
3 T Shaved Parmesan Cheese
3 T Dried Cranberries
2 T Balsamic Vinegar

Directions
Preheat the oven according to pizza dough package directions.

Heat a large skillet over med-high. Add 1 T olive oil and the thinly sliced red onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Be sure to monitor the heat on the pan and if needed, reduce to medium to prevent the onions from burning.

Once the onions are caramelized, add in the sliced Brussels sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the Brussels sprouts begin to brown.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the ricotta, 2-3 T olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix well. Roll out the pizza dough onto a large baking sheet. Spread on the cheese mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch border for a crust.

Next, remove the caramelized onions and Brussels sprouts from the heat. Evenly distribute the mixture on top of the dough and cheese. Place in the preheated oven and bake to package directions. Once the pizza is cooked, remove, and top with the Parmesan cheese and dried cranberries. Finish by drizzling with the balsamic vinegar. Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Cherry & Cucumber Panzanella Salad

ba da bing cherry...

A summer staple, especially in July, are cherries. These small bright red stone fruits can be sweet and tart all at once. They are perfect eaten all by themselves (watch out for the pits!) or added to your favorite recipes. I love panzanella salad, a traditional bread salad usually paired with tomatoes, fresh herbs, and an olive oil dressing. So, I thought, perhaps I could riff on a panzanella to create the perfect brunch version just by switching out a few ingredients.

For this summer brunch salad I swap the tomatoes for cherries and use a buttery bread such as brioche or challah. The addition of cucumbers comes from a salad that my husband and I had at our friends Chris and Karrie's house. It was an interesting pairing (cherries and cucumbers), but tasty. Finally, I use fresh mint and cilantro in place of traditional herbs such as basil. The salad is finished off with a light white balsamic vinegar dressing. This helps to bring out the sweetness in the cherries. Make this panzanella for your next brunch or serve breakfast for dinner, like I did. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
4 C Brioche or Challah Bread
1/2 lb. Cherries, pitted & halved
1 English Cucumber, diced
3 T Fresh Mint, chopped
3 T Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/4 C Sliced Almonds, toasted
2 T White Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Directions
Preheat the broiler to low and move the oven rack two slots from the top.

Toast the bread: Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. On a large sheet tray, arrange the bread into a single layer. Toast, tossing as needed. Remove from the oven to cool. NOTE: Don't skip this step. It's important to have dry bread so that the dressing will be better absorbed.

Make the salad: In a large bowl combine the cherries, cucumber, mint, cilantro, and almonds. Toss and set aside.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl combine the vinegar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until it emulsifies.

Build the salad: Add the cooled bread to the cherry and cucumber mixture. Pour in the dressing and toss to mix well. Allow the salad to sit for 10 minutes. Toss once more to distribute the juices from the cherries and cucumbers. Then serve along side your favorite brunch foods. Enjoy!

Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet w/ Dark Chocolate Chunks

a sweet surprise

I'm staking a claim that my favorite dessert is any form of frozen treat - sorbet, sherbet, ice cream sandwich... There's nothing better than an ice cold sweet treat on a hot summer day. I think America's with me on this upcoming holiday weekend. It's summer, it's hot, and everyone should be eating frozen treats!

So, for this post I've made a somewhat unexpected strawberry sorbet. I've added balsamic vinegar to the mix. It adds a nice tang and pairs so well with the strawberries and dark chocolate. It's official, we've reached the tipping point of summer and the 90 degree days are upon us. Make this creamy sorbet to cool down. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8
1 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 C Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 C Water
6 C Strawberries, hauled & sliced
1 Lemon, peel & juice
4-5 oz. Dark Chocolate Chunks

Directions
Combine the sugar, balsamic, water, and 3 wide strips of lemon peel in a sauce pan. Bring to a bubble and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and rest for 20 minutes.

Remove the lemon peel from the simple syrup, discard. Combine half the syrup, strawberries, and lemon juice in a blender. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Process the remaining syrup, strawberries, and lemon juice. Add to the bowl.

Pour the mixture into the freezer can of an ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your machine to make the sorbet. Put the sorbet into a freezer safe bowl, stir in the chocolate chunks, and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

Remove from the freezer 15 minutes prior to serving. Scoop the sorbet into bowls and serve immediately. Cool off with this unexpected frozen sweet treat. Enjoy!

Italian Inspired Portobello Burgers

why did the mushroom get invited to the party?
'cuz he's a fungi!

Okay, I know that was bad, but I remember that joke from when I was a kid. Anyway, I've mentioned in one of my past posts that I'm a vegetarian (I do eat seafood and some chicken). So, I eat a lot of portobello burgers in the summer. One way I jazz them up is by marinating them. They are like little sponges and will soak it up!

Balsamic vinegar is the perfect base to build a marinade for portobello burgers. It's fruity and a little sweet. It balances nicely with the earthiness of the mushroom. Also, balsamic is innately Italian, so what's better than adding more complementary flavors, such as roasted red pepper, basil, and smoked mozzarella cheese? Nothing! If you have a vegetarian coming to your next cookout offer to make them one of these burgers. I'm sure they will appreciate your thoughtfulness. Here's how to make them...

Ingredients - Makes 4 Burgers
3 T Balsamic Vinegar
2 T Brown Sugar
1 T Dried Italian Seasoning
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Portobello Mushroom Caps, stems removed
4 Slices Smoked Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 C Mayo
4 Whole Wheat Buns
4 Slices Red Onion
4 Slices Roasted Red Pepper
1 Large Tomato, sliced
12 Fresh Basil Leaves

Directions

Begin by making the marinade: In a baking dish large enough for the mushrooms, combine the balsamic, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and peppers. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Place the mushrooms into the marinade, coating both sides really well. Cover and marinate (at room temperature) for up to 2 hours.

Grill the mushrooms: Preheat a grill to med-high heat. Remove the mushrooms from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip off. Do not discard the marinade. Place the mushrooms on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Place the cheese on each portobello (suggest gill side) and cook 2 more minutes. Remove and rest.

As the mushrooms cook, make the mayo: Combine 2 T of the marinade and the mayo in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside. Also prepare the toppings.


Finally, build the burger: On the bottom bun, spread 1-2 T of the mayo. Top with the portobello, a slice of red onion, a slice of roasted red pepper, a slice or two of tomato, and 3 basil leaves. Make the other burgers and serve immediately with your favorite summer salad. Enjoy!

Summer Golden Beet Salad w/ Balsamic Drizzle Dressing

a mid-summer's night salad...

It's summer solstice or mid-summer or the longest day of the year as many say. A day where the sun is up its longest, making it the perfect time to celebrate the beginning of the summer season. Although it's not actually any longer than any other day of the year, we have more light (5 seconds more to be exact). So, have a picnic, grill out, or just have dinner for the family outside. Whatever you decide to do, try to at least stay up until the sun sets for our "longest day" of the year.

I've made this summer salad to kick off the season. It's fruity and earthy and quite beautiful. The colors make me think of the golden sun setting over an empty field. The reds, yellows, greens, and purples. I'm specifically focusing on balsamic vinegar for this series and its deep flavors and purple color. Make this salad to celebrate our "longest day". Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Summer Salad
3 Medium Golden Beets (~ 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 T Olive Oil, divided
3 C Arugula
1/2 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced
1/4 C Dried Cranberries
1/4 C Pistachios, shelled & roughly chopped
4 oz. Plain Goat Cheese, crumbled

Balsamic Drizzle Dressing
1/3 C Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
2 tsp. Honey
Salt & Pepper

Directions
Begin by roasting the beets: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the top (leafy parts) and bottom off each of the beets. Note: you can save the leafy parts to cook or discard if they don't look good. Scrub the beets and pat them dry.

Lay out a large piece of heavy duty foil (or double up with regular foil). Place the beets on top and drizzle with 1/2 T olive oil. Rub to coat the beets well with the oil, then wrap them tightly in the foil. Put them in the oven and cook for 45-50 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the beets from the oven, unwrap, and allow to partially cool, about 10 minutes. Using a paper towel, carefully (beets will still be a little hot), rub the skin from the outside of the beets, discard. Once all the skin has been removed, cut the beets into wedges. Set aside.

Prepare the onion for the salad: Put the onion slices into a small bowl and cover with cold water. Soaking the onion in cold water will take away a little of the harsh bite raw onions can have. Set aside.

Make the drizzle: In a small sauce pan, whisk the balsamic, mustard, and honey together. Over med-high heat, bring the mixture to a bubble. Simmer until the mixture is reduced to 1/4 C, approx. 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool.

Arrange the Salad: Dress the arugula with the remaining 1/2 T olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Then, on a large platter put the dressed arugula down first and top with the other ingredients in this order: red onion (drained), beets, cranberries, pistachios, and goat cheese. Drizzle the balsamic dressing over top. Serve immediately. Sun and summer have arrived! Enjoy.