Lambrusco Is A Refreshing Summer Wine

A guilty pleasure of mine is having a glass of red wine with a cheese-and-cracker platter for dinner on many Sunday nights during the summer. I could eat cheese until it comes out of my ears ... but don’t. Portion control in the interest of a healthy weight!

When I mentioned to a friend I had never tasted Lambrusco, my friend bought me a bottle of it: Caprari Cuvée Bollino Rosso Lambrusco Reggiano! Thank providence for friends; they expand your horizons.

Lambrusco is a lightly sparkling (frizzante) red wine primarily from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy regions, made from a family of ancient grape varieties. The bottle my friend gave me is dark red, balanced, fruity, and slightly sweet (yet dry, not a sweet wine).

Tonight I’m drinking a glass of Italian Lambrusco with New York Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese, Ohio Mozzarella and Swiss cheese, served on American whole-grain saltine crackers. Some fruit too. Delish!

A perfect Sunday night summer dinner is one that pleases the palate!🍷

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Hooked On Artichokes

As a child, I never saw artichokes at the supermarket nor on our dinner table. Now I buy frozen artichoke quarters all the time. They are readily available year-round, cheap, and easy to cook and eat.

Artichokes have many health benefits, which I intended to write up, but this comprehensive handout has done the work for me, so I’ll simply link and upload it for you! What’s the point of rewriting it? Somebody else already did a great job!

Unlike asparagus, artichokes have a mild flavor, so they can go into many dishes. Click here to get the healthy artichoke recipes I’ll also post below👇, courtesy of Oregon State University. It may be easier to read online, but I’m posting it here in case it disappears from the internet. Click to enlarge the recipes.

Although I've eaten fresh artichokes in restaurants, I always buy them frozen when making them at home. It’s a vegetable that survives freezing without losing taste, texture, or nutrients. Frozen eliminates the work of washing and cutting them up! Frozen is usually a better value than buying them fresh. You can cook and grill them without defrosting them first, a great convenience! Add this vegetable to your regular diet. I’m sure you’ll like it!

The part of the artichoke we eat is not technically a vegetable but a flower bud, a variety of the thistle family. By its strange looks, you have to wonder who first thought of eating them. Did they try roses and daisies and dandelions also?🌳

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Lean Ground Beef With Potatoes Dinner + A Salmon recipe for Summer Fridays

Photos: Debra Turner (left) and Food & Wine (right)

I won't lie. My favorite dinner is beef and potatoes in all scrumptious forms. Steak and potatoes. Pot roast and potatoes. Beef stew with potatoes and vegetables. Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes, a burger and fries, sauerbraten and kartoffelklöße, etc, etc. I never ever get tired of beef and potatoes!

Still, we limit how often we eat red meat for a myriad of health and environmental reasons. Listening to the science is wise. Cutting back is not cutting out completely. 

Recently I had a pound of 93% lean ground beef I used to grill a one-skillet meal. Easy, fast, spicy, and with little cleanup. The recipe I created below is just a guide. The ground beef I bought was on sale the day I went to the supermarket. Use 80%, 85%, 90% ground beef as they all work. Also, you can toss in or omit vegetables and/or spices to satisfy your tastes. You don't have to make ground beef and potatoes exactly the same way every time.

Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet Dinner

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

2 medium potatoes, diced small to cook faster

1 medium onion, diced small

2 celery ribs, sliced thin

2 mini bell peppers, diced small

2 large fresh mushrooms, cut up

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon mustard

4 tablespoons ketchup 

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried garlic (or chopped fresh garlic)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

a sprinkle of red pepper flakes

a good sprinkle of Worchestershire sauce

a good sprinkle of soy sauce

3 cut slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese, or your favorite cheese

Directions:

1) I started by breaking up and grilling the ground beef over medium heat.

2) When about medium done, I tossed in the diced potatoes, celery and onion. Smaller diced potatoes and vegetables will tenderize faster than larger chunks.

3) I tossed in the bell peppers and mushrooms and let the ground beef, potatoes, and vegetables cook covered on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes longer.

4) Next, while the vegetables were still tenderizing, I added the water, mustard, ketchup, Worchestershire sauce, soy sauce, and spices. At low-medium heat, simmer until the potatoes are soft. I may not always use mustard and ketchup as flavors, or next time I may toss in fresh spinach leaves, who knows?

5) Finally, I plated the dish and topped it with cheddar cheese, microwaving it for 1 minute to melt the cheese. Alternatively, you could sprinkle it with dried Parmesan cheese to avoid slicing cheese. Mozzarella cheese works. Chopped onions instead of cheese works. Hot sauce works. Leftovers can be eaten with different mixed vegetables to seem like a new entrée instead of leftovers. You do you!

A fast, healthy, no-fuss meal. Bon Appétit!

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In the summer, I’ll make a salmon salad or sandwiches once a week. Cans of wild Alaskan salmon sold in the USA make a healthy, convenient dinner.

Salmon, Avocado and Chickpea - Dip, Salad, or Sandwich

Ingredients

1 15 oz can of salmon, remove skin and drain

1 avocado, mashed

1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained

2 celery ribs, sliced

1 small onion, diced

1 small bell pepper, finely chopped

2 tablespoons vinegar of your choice

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

1/4 red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Photo: Serious Eats

1) Mash the avocado and chickpeas. Leaving some chunks is
fine.

2) Mix in the salmon, diced vegetables, vinegar, olive oil, and spices.

Use the salmon mixture as a dip for crackers, on 2 slices of whole-grain bread, or mixed into a green salad.

This will make an easy summer dinner and a great alternative to making salmon patties, my usual salmon dinner. I like stocking my pantry with cans of wild Alaskan salmon to make a fast meal without having to run to the supermarket. On summer nights, you could start with a cheese platter as an appetiser, a glass of wine, and finish up with fresh fruit as dessert. There's very little cleanup.🍓🫐🍷🍇

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You Rock Joy Bauer

All photos and recipes courtesy of Joy Bauer

Nowadays, I must snack more mindfully because I don’t want to weigh 300 pounds. To a certain extent, I’ve always been a healthy eater, never fasting and never starving myself with unhealthy, unbalanced diets, but when I was younger, I could get away with eating more calories. Not anymore. Yet, one thing remains the same: I will not starve myself!

Today I was very impressed watching nutritionist, Joy Bauer (whose recipes I often like), prepare 3 snacks on The Today Show. She lightened up tasty treats you could make for family or party guests, using healthy ingredients with a good dose of protein. I’ll post Joy’s recipes below, i.e., on my electronic recipe box (with a link back to her) so Savvy Shoppers and savvy eaters (including me) can for sure find them time and again. (I never know what will disappear from the internet):

In general, I don’t like chicken on my pizza, but this recipe is really barbecue chicken on pizza crust. I'll use a combination of mozzarella and extra-sharp cheddar. Joy’s original recipe follows:

Barbecue Chicken Pizza -recipe #1

INGREDIENTS

Dough

¼ cup whole wheat flour, white-whole wheat flour, or 1:1 gluten-free flour½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch kosher salt
¼ cup nonfat Greek yogurt

Toppings:

2 tablespoons BBQ sauce**¼ cup packed shredded chicken mixed with 1 to 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
A few thin slices of red onion
2 to 4 tablespoon 2% shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican blend cheeseOptional chopped cilantro and hot sauce for garnish

INGREDIENT DETAILS TO KNOW 

*Pour off liquid before measuring**For gluten-free, choose a gluten-free brand of BBQ sauce.

INSTRUCTIONS

 

1) Preheat oven to 450º degrees. Mist a baking sheet with oil spray and set aside.

2) In a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and seasonings. Mix to combine everything. Add the yogurt and stir until you have a crumbled mixture.

3) Using your hands, press and fold the flour into the yogurt until all of the pieces come together to form an elastic dough. While at first the dough will be fussy and crumbly, after about a minute of pressing and folding it will come together. Form one ball about the size of a baseball.

4) Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet and flatten with your palm. Roll it out into a thin circle using a rolling pin or a soup can until it has about a 7-inch diameter. Your shape can be somewhat artisanal or you can make it perfectly circular by pinching the outside perimeters with your fingers.

5) Place in oven on the middle rack for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it out evenly. Add the saucy chicken, red onion slices, and sprinkle on the cheese.

6) Place back in the oven for another 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melty and the crust is crispy and browned around the edges. Garnish with optional chopped cilantro.

Mini Corn Dog Muffins - recipe #2

INGREDIENTS

1 cup white whole-wheat flour, or all-purpose flour*
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1½ teaspoons kosher salt1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn, drained (or 1½ cups frozen corn, thawed)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup nonfat or low-fat vanilla yogurt
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons milk or water
8 pre-cooked chicken or turkey sausages, each cut into 5 pieces (about 40 pieces total)

Optional Toppings and Dips: Honey, hot honey, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce

INGREDIENT DETAILS TO KNOW

* For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the white whole-wheat flour.If you’re making these gluten-free, double-check that your sausage brand is gluten-free too.

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Preheat the oven and prep the pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat two mini muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.

2) Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.

3) Add the wet ingredients. Add the corn, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, honey, and milk or water. Stir until everything is combined and the batter is smooth. Be careful not to overmix—the batter should be thick and scoopable.

4) Fill the muffin cups. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Press one sausage piece into the center of each cup, gently pushing it down so the batter rises around it and partially covers the sides.

5) Bake and serve. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the cornbread is set. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then carefully remove them. Serve warm with honey, hot honey, ketchup, mustard, or BBQ sauce.

Caramelized Onion Dip - recipe #3

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium onions, thinly sliced (~6 cups worth)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 cup lite sour cream, or nonfat or 2% Greek yogurt

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

INGREDIENT DETAILS TO KNOW 

*You can use nonfat or 2% plain Greek yogurt or light sour cream. Pour off any liquid that may have settled on top of the container before measuring. You can also half the sour cream or yogurt with light mayo.

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Add the oil to a large skillet and warm over medium heat. Add the onions with ½ tsp salt. Allow them to cook, stirring often, for about 60 minutes, until they’re nicely browned and fragrant. If the onions start to burn, lower the heat to low. 

2) Also, if the onions become too dry at any point, add a tablespoon of water to the pan. The onions will reduce in size to yield about 1 cup when they’re caramelized.

3) When the onions are done cooking, let them slightly cool. Lay them on a cutting board and chop into tiny pieces. Alternatively, you can use a pair of kitchen scissors and snip them into small pieces right in the skillet.

4) In a mixing bowl, blend the sour cream, remaining salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in the onions. Taste and season with extra salt, pepper and minced herbs. 

5) Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. If it becomes thicker than you’d like, simply mix in a few extra tablespoons of yogurt or sour cream.

NOTES

• Caramelizing such a large amount of onions in one pan will take some time, about 60 minutes over medium heat. While a smaller amount of onions (just one or two) will caramelize more quickly, you’ll need this full amount for the addictive, onion-y flavor. Trust me on this. Use the largest and widest skillet you have on hand. Once your onions get started, I suggest putting on some great music and multitasking while they cook; you can dance, tend to other food items that need prepping, or catch up on a juicy episode of whatever you’re currently watching. You’ll need to stir them occasionally, so don’t stray too far from the kitchen!

• You can opt to caramelize the onions ahead of time and store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.

• I use 3 medium yellow onions (~6 cups worth of slices), which will cook all the way down to just about 1 cup, if you can believe. You can use any onion but I recommend using yellow or sweet onions.

• If using nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, 2 tablespoons provide about 35 calories, 2g fat, and 2g protein.

🍅🍴🧅🍴🌽🍴🍅🍴🧅🍴🌽🍴🍅🍴🧅🍴🌽🍴🍅🍴🧅🍴🌽

Even as a teenager, I skipped dips as empty calories, empty nutrition. With Joy’s low-fat, protein-dense onion dip using Greek yogurt, I get to experience what I missed! If you make all 3 snacks for a gathering, you’ve got meat, whole grains, and vegetables. Pour a glass of wine and add strawberries and blueberries for dessert. That’s a complete meal in my book! Hat’s off to Joy Bauer!👏

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#Shorts: Old Navy Dress Alert!

What a darling summer dress the Old Navy Fit & Flare Mini Dress is! 100% cotton in the floral pattern I like best, the dress comes in a total of 8 colors and patterns. With a sweetheart neckline, wide straps, fitted top and a flared skirt, this little number is machine washable. Oooo, look, you get side pockets too!

Although customers are reporting the length isn’t too mini, um short, I’d likely order it in tall. Love summer dresses that are above the knee, yet I’ll no longer wear super short dresses like I could get away with in my younger years. Moreover, a bit of extra length gives a summer dress more versitility.

Last year Old Navy’s mini dresses were not too short or as mini as one would think, and the only way to know about this year’s dress styles is to go into the brick-and-mortar store and try one on! If only the dress came with a lovely yet unhealthy bronze tan and a bright sunny day!

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