Strawberry, Granola & Yogurt Parfaits

I've been wanting to post this delicious, healthy treat for a long time now. I actually almost didn't, because things like this don't really require a real recipe, right? They sort of don't. But even though it's not a technically challenging meal to make, hopefully this post will serve as the inspiration you need to go make one!
The inspiration I needed to finally get this post up here for you was my son's fourth grade class. This past week and a half the students at his school have been busy taking their Connecticut Mastery Tests and each year the parents are rounded up to volunteer their healthy snack making skills. It's hard to make sure each kid in the class has a balanced breakfast on test days, so having a Mom in charge each morning helps spread the good nutrition throughout. It's amazing how rough hours of testing can be on 10 year olds - or any aged person, for that matter. Having a healthy, preferably protein packed breakfast, or morning snack, before testing can make a big difference in how well their brains perform that day.

The first day of testing was my turn. Unfortunately, I completely forgot about it until the morning of! We'll blame it on mommy brain. I jumped in the car with the kids, scrambling for some ideas on what to bring...it had to be something I could buy from a store at that point.
The idea of bringing greek yogurt parfaits came to me - so we ran to grocery store and picked up some Greek yogurt, a fruit plate and some plain granola. I set up a little 'parfait' bar in the classroom and helped all the kids make one for themselves.

I was unsure of how they would like them, as I think many kids who are used to fruit flavored yogurt, which tends to be super high in sugar, don't necessarily transition well to plain yogurt. I brought some vanilla flavored too and maple syrup as sweetener, just in case - but I was amazed by how many of the kids liked the yogurt as is.
When I picked my son up from school that day he told me that everyone loved the snack and many were asking if there was more to be had. That same afternoon, my little guy wanted some for himself too - and it was that day when the 'yogurt, granola and fruit after school snack' phase began.

Since then, it's become a cataclysmic disaster when we run out of plain yogurt. I've been buying the big huge tubs of Fage 2% plain Greek yogurt - which is by far my favorite yogurt brand. Not only do I love the texture and taste, but I also love that it has 23 grams of protein per cup! However, you can use whatever brand, or type of yogurt you'd prefer...it doesn't need to be strained 'Greek' yogurt either.
This isn't the first phase of yogurt parfaits in our house either. The first time was after the Frigidaire event we went to last June. They served something very similar to this recipe, called Strawberries with Mint, Yogurt & Honey, at the event and my guys went bananas for them. The fad eventually wore off, only to be re-born again this Spring.

The version I made here is slightly different from the one's I make my kids because it has some slivered almonds added in {they both hate almonds}. For grown-ups out there, or adventurous kids, these are also great with some fresh mint added in too!
Try making these parfaits with homemade granola by using this Cherry, Pecan Granola recipe and substituting fresh cherries for the strawberries above. Here are some other Breakfast recipe you might enjoy too! - Banilla Smoothies | Breakfast Quinoa with Berries & Bananas | Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins | Ricotta Pancakes | Strawberry Ricotta Muffins.

Curried Lentil & Farro Soup

When I was a twenty-something gal and would occasionally venture into the world of cooking, this soup was my 'specialty'.  I can't remember exactly who gave me the recipe - I think it was my father, who got it from someone else and passed it along to me.  All I do remember is that it was a small photocopy of a recipe from the NY Times food section in 1996.  That little wrinkled, stained and well used piece of paper has traveled with me for 16 years.  I keep it tucked between the pages of a cookbook and over the years, whenever I decided to make a pot I would have to dig through my entire cookbook collection to find it - never remembering which book it was in.  After awhile I gave up on all that and memorized the ingredients.

I've passed the recipe to many people over the years too.  I remember being on a low-carb diet and upon discovering that lentils were a permissible food item I decided to make a gigantic pot of this soup - which I proceeded to live on for days.  I told my mother about it, who was also dieting at the time and she loved the soup so much she passed it on to everyone in the family.  So, I have a feeling when this recipe gets posted they'll all know exactly what soup this is.

As much as I enjoy this soup, I am typically not a 'traditional' lentil soup person.  When I think of lentil soup I think of something grainy in texture and very bland in flavor.  To avoid those kind of results, I love trying recipes that use bold flavors, like curry powder or garam marsala.  I also opt for using small lentils, which I think make a big difference - they tend to hold their shape while cooking instead of breaking down into grainy mush.  For this batch I used Spanish Pardina lentils, which worked very well...in the past I've used French green lentils, which would also be a great choice.
For the grain component, I've used everything from pearled barley {which is what the original recipe calls for}, to brown rice, to the farro I've used here.  Farro is very similar in texture to barley, so I'd say their nearly interchangeable.  But I like the farro a bit more as the grains have a slightly chewy texture that I really love. 

Best thing about this recipe is that it calls for ingredients you most likely already have on hand in your pantry - or most of anyway.  It's quick, simple and inexpensive to make and tastes great days later...it can even be frozen, so you might consider doubling the recipe!
If you like lentils you might also enjoy these recipes too! - Stewed Lentils with Leeks, Lentil & Bulgur Salad | Spiced Red Lentil Soup with Cashews | Curried Squash & Red Lentil Soup

{The Basics} Perfect Brown Rice

If given a choice between eating white or brown rice, I'd choose brown rice any day.  Not only because it's healthier than choosing white rice, but also because I happen to prefer the way it tastes - I love the nutty flavor and chewy texture of brown rice.  With brown rice the bran layer has been left intact, which makes it high in fiber and essential minerals.  While white rice is more convenient because it cooks faster and is more commonly prefered because it's fluffier in texture, it's not as nutritious and needs to be fortified in order for some of the lost nutrients to be added back in.  Personally, I prefer to stick with the all-natural choice.
The only problem is - brown rice is a pain to cook.  If there's one thing in the kitchen that gives me the biggest challenge it's producing perfectly cooked {not sticky, soggy or mushy} brown rice.  I typically follow the package instructions - which I've learned is not the best idea! - and no matter how precise I am in my measurements, it just never turns out well. 

I've found the only place I can enjoy perfectly cooked brown rice is when I order it from an Asian restaurant.  I believe most use a rice cooker/steamer to achieve their perfect results.  I've considered buying one, but decided it was just another small kitchen appliance that would take up precious cabinet or counter space - not to mention, most decent quality models are very pricey.

So - for me this method from Saveur magazine has been such a great discovery!  I was apprehensive it would work as it claimed, but the results have been spot on and fool-proof after many attempts cooking rice this way.  It really couldn't be simpler and the best part about it is the rice cooks quicker using this method than using the standard water absorpbtion method.  Who has an hour on a weeknight to cook brown rice?  Most nights, I certainly don't - which is why I don't serve it as much as I would like to.

With this method all that is required is some measuring of the two ingredients {dry brown rice and water}, rinsing the rice, followed by 30 minutes of simmering, a quick drain in a colander and then a 10 minute steam {to absorb the last bits of water}.  It is recommended you use a pot with a heavy, tight-fitting lid - something like a Dutch oven would be prefect.  But I realize not everyone owns one of these pots, so I also tried this method using a standard stockpot.  To prevent any steam from escaping through the lid I covered the top of the pot tightly with foil before placing the lid on top - this worked perfectly as well.

I believe this method will work for white rice as well - although the cooking time would be less, of course.  However, I have not tried it - so I can't vouch for the results {If anyone does, please let me know in the comment section}.  Now that I've learned this method I can't say I'll be eating much white rice from now on.
Have any of you tried this method before and had as much success as I did?  What's your favorite way to cook brown rice?
Next up - some recipes to use your perfectly cooked brown rice with!

Pomodoro Fresco Pasta Salad

A while back I received a copy of the cookbook In a Small Kitchen to review. It's written by the 20-something girls, Cara Eisenpress & Phoebe Lapine from the food blog, Big Girls Small Kitchen. I'm just finally getting around to it now, which is an indication of just how insanely busy my summer has been thus far!
As much as I love cookbooks, I am extremely selective in the ones I purchase...or, even accept for free...as I don't want to amass an enormous collection of cookbooks unless they'll be used on a fairly regular basis. {Is there a term for the opposite of being a hoarder? A minimalist? If so, that's me.}
But, I happen to be a fan of these girls. I love that they've been bitten by the food bug at such a young age and I appreciate their love of entertaining. I heard about their blog for the first time while watching an episode of Barefoot Contessa on The Food Network, in which they were guests. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover...but, looking at the cover of this cookbook, I could tell right away I would like it.
The recipes within it's pages are very accessible, even for beginners in the realm of cooking. At the same time they're still sophisticated. The cookbook has an original approach, where it's recipes are organized by the occasions for which one would cook...such as meals perfect when you're cooking for one, or having a date night, or hosting a dinner party. This one was from the section titled, Potlucking...under the subcategory, Packing a Picnic. Each section of also full of stories and food inspirations. It's one of very few cookbooks I've known that reads like an actual book, in that you could read it cover to cover.
What drew me to this recipe is that it's exactly the type of meal I would naturally make for a summer dinner, albeit a bit more refined than my typical version. When I looked at the ingredients list I realized it was basically my mother's bruschetta {with a few extra ingredients} mixed with pasta. My mom makes her signature dish many times every summer with her garden tomato harvests. She serves it with toasted bread slices as an appetizer. It's something that we all look forward to!
This recipe is called a pasta salad, as it's supposed to be served at room temperature, and can be made ahead of time. But, you could certainly serve it warm by adding in the hot pasta and plating it up right away. I love their idea of adding in some balsamic vinegar and a touch of sugar, as I knew it would add a nice sweetness to balance the acidic nature of tomatoes. It couldn't be easier to make and it's sure to be popular with anyone you serve it to...even with the a picky kid crowd.
ALSO...Today, I am offering up TWO free copies of "In a Small Kitchen" by Cara Eisenpress & Phoebe Lapine! To enter for a chance to win one, just leave a comment below. Winners will be randomly selected on Monday, August 1st {my birthday!}. Don't forget to leave contact information!
UPDATE: And the WINNERS are...Comments #1 {Lindsay!} and #14 {Joanne!}. Please send me an email with your contact info, so I can mail you your cookbooks! You can find my email in the "About Me" section above. Thanks All!

Coleslaw with Fresh Dill

I had hoped by this point I would have some photos up of our vacation to Jackson Hole, WY. But, between the exciting week we had last week and tons of stuff going on this week, I have yet to find the time to go through them. I did, however, manage to get this post together for you.
I made this coleslaw on our very last night of the trip. I grilled some dinner for my brother and his family, along with a friend of my Mom's {hi Kathy!}, who let us stay at her gorgeous house our last night in town. I was inspired to make this because a few weeks earlier, I was shopping at Fairway and had some of their coleslaw. I actually had it on a turkey panini sandwich and was blown away by how good it was! The whole time I was eating the sandwich I was trying to figure out what it was about it that made it so good...it had something unusual about it...something I wasn't used to tasting in coleslaw.
The little sprinkles of green in there gave it away...it was fresh dill. I googled the recipe when I got home and found it right away. The actual recipe uses a ton of sugar, and I didn't remember it tasting overly sweet when I had it...so, I cut way back on that. Otherwise, it pretty much tasted exactly how I remembered it.
While cooking that evening, I had an unexpected helper...my 2 yr. old nephew, Nicholas. I put the bowl of dressing down to take a photograph, and he walked right up, grabbed the rubber spatula and started stirring away. It was as if he had just graduated from culinary school, the way he stirred that dressing! He carefully and methodically wiped the contents along the side of the bowl into the center, as if he were folding egg whites. Then, when satisfied with the consistency of the dressing, he tapped the spatula on the edge of the bowl to get every last bit in. I was blown away!
Now, this is coming from someone who's boys help in the kitchen all the time! But, even my 7 yr. old and 9 yr. old don't stir with that expertise. My brother is a chef, who now owns a Deli in Jackson Hole and my sister-in-law told me that he helps her make pancakes all the time. They have certainly trained him well!

Thai Chicken & Noodles

I saw this salad featured on one of my favorite food blogs, Dinner: A Love Story last week & knew immediately I had to make it. First, because it's reminded me of an Asian salad I used to eat on a very regular basis when we lived in Brooklyn. It was my favorite item on the menu at a place called Cambodian Cuisine, in Fort Greene, BK...about a block from our old apartment. Unfortunately, the restaurant no longer exists...which, makes my memory of this dish nothing more than a memory at this point.
Secondly, the marinade is similar to the marinade I use for Chicken Satay, which is a favorite with the Bozos...so, I knew they would love this. The fact that the veggies are raw in this salad was something I knew would also meet their approval. They both love cucumbers & carrots...but do not like cooked vegetables. For anyone else out there with picky eaters, meals like this are great because you can pick & choose what elements you add...and, each person can make their own salad to suit their taste.
Finally, this meal is healthy & quick...making it an ideal weeknight dinner.