SHRIMP & BLACK BEAN SALAD

I love this salad, it's probably one of my favorites.  This recipe is extremely healthy as we all know the benefits of the shrimp as well as avocado and beans !!!  Your heart will thank you for eating this.

Serves 4-6

YOU'LL NEED:
- 1 heavy bottom skillet
- 2 medium size prep bowls
- 1 bag of frozen 18-24 count shrimp (these are large mammas !) deveined, uncooked
- 15 oz can of black beans
- 2 cups approx. corn kernels (frozen are fine)
- 2 large tomatoes diced
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions
- 1 large avocado
- 1 large carrot shredded
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil + 2 tablespoons for sauteing
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- small bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Firstly, if your shrimp are frozen, remove from bag and place in bowl with running cold water.  Leave in water until shrimp are no longer frozen.  Remove to dry and place in your prep bowl.  Add the garlic, olive oil (3 tablespoons), balsamic vinegar, parsley, red pepper flakes, mix and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Place your heavy bottomed skillet on medium high heat.  Drizzle a couple tablespoons of olive oil and when hot, use tongs and add the shrimp to sear for about 1 minute on each side or until they are pinkish in color. Remove and place in your second prep bowl.  You will need to work in batches and you will want the shrimp to have a nice little sear to them.
Add the diced tomatoes, corn, beans and scallions and combine.  Now cut the avocado in thin wedges and add to the salad.
DRESSING:
I prefer a margarita (not the drink) but a simple dressing with honey and mustard. So, in a small bowl, pour 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 lemon juiced.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk together and add to your salad.  Keep salad refrigerated until ready to serve (I suggest you serve within 30 minutes or so after having added the dressing.
ENJOY !!

It's nearly summer and that means some new ideas for outdoor festivities !  I have my own version of a hummus which I think you will love ...

YOU'LL NEED:
- Food processor
- 2  (15 oz cans) chickpeas
- 1 (15 oz can) blackbeans
- 2 tablespoons tahini sauce
- 1 juiced lemon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter ( I use natural peanut butter)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 5 garlic cloves

Easy as pie... put it all in your food processor and puree until you have a smooth consistency. If you like the texture smoother, add additional olive oil.

I use this hummas on sandwiches of toasted whole wheat bread with sardines and diced tomatoes.  Also great as a dip with pita chips topped with additional paprika.  Great in any veggie wrap !! Be creative, but I can tell you that this hummas is wonderful on any veggie based dish, sandwich, wrap.

ENJOY !!

My latest cookbook "My Old World Kitchen - Eating Healthy Italian Style" is available on www.amazon.com.  It is full of wonderful recipes that will make your heart healthy and happy !

ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLE QUICHE

ROASTED  WINTER VEGETABLE QUICHE

This is something that I would make at least once a week in Italy during the damp rainy months from November – February.  It’s a great dish to put together at the last minute and makes any table look pretty darn impressive.  You can dress it up with a beautiful table setting or dress it down in a rustic context.  Give it a try, promise you will love it !

YOU’LL NEED:

(serves 6-8 per sei a otto persone

VEGETABLES

-          1 oven proof pie or flan try 8-10” in diameter

-          1 medium mixing bowl

-          1 large mixing bowl

-          1 medium size baking sheet

-          1 sheet of frozen pastry dough (I like Pepperidge Farm). Put in the fridge over night.

-          1 lb circa butternut squash, peeled and cubed

-          1 eggplant, halved lengthwise then cut into wedges 1/8” thick

-          2 red bell pepper, cored and cut into thin slices lengthwise

-          1 yellow bell pepper, cored and cut into thin slices lengthwise

-          1 red onion halved and sliced thin

-          12 cherry tomatoes (halved)

-          1 tablespoon minced rosemary

-          1 tablespoon minced garlic

-          2 tablespoons brown sugar

-          3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

-          1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

-          2 teaspoon kosher salt

-          1 teaspoon black pepper

In a medium size mixing bowl, place all the mixing bowl, add the olive oil, herbs, salt & pepper, brown sugar, spices and mix well with your hands.  Place on a baking sheet and into the oven at 400 degrees for approx. 25 minutes or until you have a nice glaze on the veggies. Remove and set aside.

QUICHE PREPARATION

-          5 egges

-          1 cup whole milk

-          ¼ cup heavy cream

-          1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

-          ¼ cup grated gruyere cheese

-          1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley

-          1 teaspoon kosher salt

-          ½ teaspoon black pepper

            Remove the pastry dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured surface (cutting board), place the pastry sheet flat and flour the top surface lightly.  Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough so that it will cover your pie or flan pan (at least 12” if you are using an 8” pan). Gently press the pastry on your pie pan (bottom and sides), trim to fit and prick the bottom with a fork so that you don’t get bubbles. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.  Remove from freezer and line with tin foil (press the foil along the bottom) then place in your oven at 350 degrees and bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Remove and set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl,  whisk together the eggs with the milk and cream, stir in the cheeses, parsley, salt and pepper.

Transfer the cooled roasted veggies together with the egg mixture, then gently pour onto your pastry lined pie pan. Bake for approximately 25 minutes at 350 or until set and lightly golden.

Serve warm or room temperature with a simple salad.

ENJOY !

A Discussion on Olive Oils

This is not a recipe but rather something food related and more important something involving the general health of my followers.

Firstly, note that there are FOUR principle categories of olive oils:

1. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: Characterized by the fact that it is of the first press (cold-pressed), has an acidity of less thanb .8%, the olives are picked from the tress, are milled within 48 hours of the harvest.  The olives are rinsed in cool water, twigs and leaves are not part of the milling process and the olives are stored briefly in containers which allow air flow so as to avoid molding. The color of the oil will range from greenish-golden to bright green and in general the deeper the color (green) the more intense the flavor and the aroma.
2. VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: Similar to the EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) however slightly higher in acidity (less than 2% and cannot have any refined oil.
3. OLIVE OIL "FINO" OR FINE: Characterized by being a blend of both Virgin and the Extra Virgin thus not refined and an acidity of less than 2%.
4. LIGHT OLIVE OIL: Do not take the category literally as this oil is not light in fat but rather light in color and in aroma. This oil does contain monounsaturated fats as do the other categories but may be refined to reduce the acidity level and consequently will have virtually no flavor and very light in color. It will have a very low degree of antioxidants and other beneficial health characteristics.  Good for cooking, low in price !

Olive oil is unique among oils in that it is able to be consumed in its crude state without any refining which gives it powerful effects on our immune system, specifically the vitamins and fatty acids (antioxidants that protect us from Free Radical Oxidation).

HISTORY
Olive oil has been part of our diet for more than 5000 years dating back to the Greeks and the Romans. In ancient times, consumption of good olive oils resulted in a healthy existence, notably due to the so call Mediterranean diet as we all know is so important to longevity.

The problem today is that the ancient methods of hand picking the olives and being pressed immediately with no blending of poor quality or contaminated oils is very costly. The refining process allows the producers to increase their quantities to make production worth the buck but this results in the destruction of the antioxidants characteristic of the good oils.

WHAT THE GOOD OIL DOES TO KEEP US HEALTHY
Pure extra virgin olive oils contain nutrients such as vitamin E and other powerful antioxidants that protect us from cell damage by Free Radical Oxidation. Our cell membranes contain fatty acids which are very susceptible to free radical damage which in turn produces LIPID PEROXIDES which can harm and kill the cell.
Good quality extra virgin olive oil will protect our cell membranes from this oxidation as it contains Polyphenols and Vitamin E along with other natural antioxidants which is seen to protect our cell membrans from free radical damage or in other words will reduce the oxidation of cholesterol which also protects the good olive oil (for prolonged shelf life up to 3 years if store correctly).
Olive oils contain fatty acids, notably Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA) which are healthy dietary fat. These fats may lower the total cholesterol, help blood clotting and may also benefit insulin levels. Olive oils are high in calories, but if used in moderation they will contribute to a stronger and healthier immune system. If consumed in the crude form, the essential fatty acids will be conserved and will protect us from free radical oxidation.
By eliminating the bad Saturated Oils from our diet and substituting them with the monounsaturated fatty acids we can help our body's immune system by:
- Lowering our cholesterol
- Lowering our blood pressure
- Lowering the risk of heart disease
- Lowering the risk of some cancers

TODAY
Because of the fast food and packaged food industries, we are consuming large quantities of Hydrogenated Oils which have been implicated in cancer and heart disease. Basically the modern processed oils are very bad to human health !
The likelyhood of going to the supermarket and finding a good olive oil is very low.  In the United States, there is an abundance of lower quality olive oils which are refined to much in order to be labelled as Extra Virgin (the refining process lowers the acidity) but the Department of Agriculture in the the USA is not a member of the IOOC (International Olive Oil Council) which has set very strict guuidelines on an international level for the production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Virgin Olive Oils.  The only guideline in this country which isn't even a legal parameter is the level of acidity but this alone DOES NOT INSURE QUALITY OLIVE OIL. So help protect your body from the bad stuff, eliminate refined oils/foods. Eat fresh produce and use Extra Virgin Olive Oil (the real stuff).
Select the olive oil that will protect your immune system. Store the oil in a cool and dark place and it can last up to two years.  It has been suggested that by purchasing the oil in small quantities and consuming it within a year you will be able to obtain the best flavor and conserve the maximum amount of nutrients and antioxidants that your body needs.

So there you have it.... a good start for a healthy life !