Avocado & Turkey in Onion Fire Balls

Here's a new take on a classic campfire meal, and perfect for the Summer grill.  The secret ingredient is California Avocados.  Okay, so avocados aren't so secret.  In fact, this July 4th more than 96 million pounds of avocados will be consumed in the United States. I'll be doing my part, that's for sure.

 

Combining the avocado with ground turkey and seasonings is the big whamo, the secret ammo in these Onion Fire Balls.  The velvety avocado chunks replace any need for more processed ways of adding moisture to ground turkey.  There's no need for mayonnaise or oils.  Adding fresh tarragon, kosher salt and cracked pepper and a dash of soy sauce (or Worcestershire) and the optional minced peppers give the turkey meat robust flavor.  Then, if that's not enough, it gets hugged together by an onion layer and grilled inside a foil wrapper that holds in all the smokey juices.  Wowza - that's just good! It's

also naturally Gluten Free, Grain free and low in the bad fats.

Pumpkin Pie Cookies - 4 Ingredients - Simple Saturday and Gluten Free

My teen son named these "Pumpkin Pie Cookies" because they taste just like a slice of Pumpkin Pie (without the pastry.) They're spongy and light, just like the custard filling in a creamy Pumpkin Pie. They couldn't be easier to make and they pair really well with a cup of hot tea, cocoa or (for the adults) a quick shot of cozy brandy. This recipe uses only 4 ingredients: Pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice with salt.
They're naturally gluten free and packed with the vitamins of pure pumpkin and cage free eggs.
Feel free to try other spice blends with them, too. I loved them with a sprinkle of Garam Masala. Because they're so light and small, they make easy "pop-in-your-mouth" Pumpkin Whoopie pies using Cinnamon Cream Cheese filling for the middle. It's like a slice of pumpkin pie, without the need of a pie shell, and in a take-along shape. They may remind you of my Easiest Nutella Cookies - 2 ingredients (here.)

I hope you enjoy baking and eating these Pumpkin Pie Cookies. Thanks for stopping by.

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cookies - 4 Ingredients

3/4 cup Organic Pumpkin Puree
2 eggs
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice and a Dash of Salt
(or make your own spice blend of 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves and a dash of salt)

1) Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together rapidly for about a minute to fully incorporate the eggs and pumpkin blend.

2) Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a silpat (or parchment paper) covered baking sheet.

3) Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 13-15 minutes. Turn the pan about half-way through the baking time for even heating. Let cool on the pan and remove with a spatula.

**Optional - garnish with cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar icing.

Recipe: Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling

3 oz. Cream Cheese (soft)
1-2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon

1) In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, cinnamon and 1 cup of powdered sugar.
2) Add more powdered sugar as needed for taste and spreading.

Jasmine Tea Poached Shrimp Summer Rolls

Here's the scene: August afternoon, we're hungry, we're hot, we're tired. I open the fridge and pull out a plate of chilled Jasmine Tea Poached Shrimp Summer Rolls with a tangy plum sauce. The rice wrapper is light and the rosy shrimp show through, along with fresh carrot strips, avocado and tea infused noodles.

Jasmine Tea Poached Shrimp Summer Rolls

It's too appealing to dismiss, but a little different (aka: not a sandwich), so my teenage son pauses to reconsider. My husband sits down right away (always my willing taste-tester.) The scene ends with a completely empty plate, slightly blotched with plum drippings from the less-than-elegant grab-fest that ensued. There is so much to love about summer rolls. I avoided making these for awhile, thinking the process would take so much time. It really doesn't take very long at all.

There is no frying or baking involved with wrappers:

1) Quick (approx. 20 seconds) dunk in shallow warm water - add a little swirl.

2) Layer on your dry ingredients and roll it up.
Once you've done one or two, you'll get into a groove and be rolling like a pro. The thin rice wrapper gives you the mouth-feel and slight chew of bread without - you know - bread. The ingredients can be your choosing (and a great way to use up refrigerator leftovers, veggies and sauces.)

Now, a note about the tea: I had the pleasure of heading the catering for an exquisite tea shop/salon (now online at Algabar.com) a couple years ago and learned about tea from one of the best ( Gail Baral.) During those couple of years, I developed recipes using all teas (black, green, oolong, rooibos, tisane and matcha) as ingredients, infusions and accents. (This is Jasmine Pearl Tea - named because the tender green tea leaves are hand-rolled into little pearls that bloom with flavor as they are heated in the warm water)

Cooking with tea is precise if you really want it to taste right, and temperature is one of the most important factors. Boiling tea will result in a bitter bite, so take care with using it as a poaching technique to not boil, but keep it just below that point. It results in a fragrant and tasty infusion, especially with shrimp.

I made these Shrimp Summer Rolls in the evening, covered them with a slightly dampened paper towel and loosely wrapped the plate with plastic wrap. They are at their absolute best served just after a small chill, but were still excellent from a short overnight stay, too. Keeping them moist, but not wet, is important so the wrapper doesn't become dry or gummy.

These were created for this month's Let's Lunch bunch (my global group of food friends that post each month and share a virtual lunch together.) This month's lunch theme was "Cold Entree".

I love making chilled entrees and here are a few other items on my blog: Apple Bowl Curry Soup
Tea Smoked Salmon
Carrot & Cucumber Ribbon Salad
Peach Caprese Salad
Chillin' it With Herbs

Also, for the next few days you can be assured of seeing many unique and globally inspired lunch ideas from our blogging-band-of-lunch-buddies.

Check out some of them here (and also by typing in #LetsLunch on twitter to see the round-up, or join in for next month.)

Cold Entrees from warm friends:

A Tiger In The Kitchen - Spicy Sichuan Sesame Noodles

Monday Morning Cooking Club- Byron Sprout Salad w/Char-grilled Chicken

Gronger Blog - Lamb and Memory

Be A Wok Star - Hoisin Pork, Shrimp and Colorful Vegetables

Free Range Cookies - Gazpacho Rolls

Cooking In The Fruit Bowl - Strawberry Soup

A Taste Of Oregon - Seafood Napoleon
also - Cold Olive Oil Poached Chicken

Maria's Good Things - Croque Monsieur

Beyond The Plate - Couscous with Cilantro Pesto and Halloumi

Hot Curries & Cold Beer - Gazpacho with an Indian Twist

Dreaming of Pots and Pans - Korean Ice Water Noodles



RECIPE: Jasmine Tea Poached Shrimp Summer Rolls
(this makes about 6 full rolls)

6-8 Large Shrimp (raw, peeled or tail on)
4 cups well brewed Jasmine Tea (2-3 cups for shrimp, 1-2 cups for noodles)
salt/pepper
Rice Wrappers (found in grocery stores or Asian Markets)
1 Carrot (peeled and shredded or use peeler for thin strips)
1/2 Avocado (sliced and sprinkled with lemon juice to keep the color)
A few leaves of fresh arugula or other greens
2 Spring Onions (white and some green sliced)
1-2 ozs Rice Noodles/ Rice Sticks or Cellophane Noodles
2 Tbls. Rice Vinegar

1) In a deep sided pan on Med Heat, add the Shrimp and enough brewed Jasmine Tea to just cover them. Season with salt and pepper. Heat to almost boiling and cook for 5-8 minutes. Don't overcook the shrimp or they will be rubbery. Drain and Chill the shrimp for at least 30 minutes (or can be held overnight.) Once chilled, slice the shrimp in half (length-wise head-to-tail.)

2) In a bowl, add the Rice Noodles, 1 cup of the brewed tea and enough boiling water to cover the noodles plus a few inches for them to swirl around in. Cover and allow them to steep/cook in the liquid for 5 minutes. Drain and keep the noodles in the bowl, adding the Rice Vinegar and toss throughly. These can be held in the Rice Vinegar while prepping the other ingredients (or chilled overnight.) ** Drain off the Rice Vinegar JUST BEFORE using the noodles.

3) Prep the other ingredients and have everything out for layering on the wrappers before starting the wrappers.
TO ASSEMBLE THE WRAPPERS:1) In a large plate, pour in about 1/4 inch very warm water. Take out one wrapper and lay it in the water, flip it over getting both sides wet. Swirl it around in the water for about 20 seconds. You just want the wrapper to become pliable and soft without getting it too weak. 2) Drizzle the surface of your work board with a little water and smooth it around. Then lift the wrapper to your board and use your hand to swirl on the top of the wrapper to even out the moisture. 3) Begin your layering (about 2/3rds down the wrapper) with two pieces of the sliced shrimp. After that, it's really up to you ( I added the carrots, the avocado, a couple pieces of arugula, a few slices of the spring onion and ended with a finger full of the noodles.) Don't pile on too much of any one thing.

4) Pick up the bottom of the wrapper and fold it up and over all the ingredients and gently pull it a little tight just to squeeze the ingredients together well. Then, fold the sides toward the center and over your first fold. Then, holding your little bundle - roll it up the rest of the wrapper to the top.

5) Congratulate yourself, then either place that roll to the side for later or slice it in half (diagonally for a nice presentation) and place it on your serving platter or bowl.
**If you need to hold these for later or the next day, be sure to cover them with a paper towel that has been wet and then squeezed out damp. Loosely cover the whole plate with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.

SERVE these with a home made plum sauce or peanut sauce for dipping.Join us for next month's Lets Lunch friends by letting me know here, or go to Twitter and type in #LetsLunch and that's it. Thanks for stopping by and leaving comment love :D

Heart Healthy Apple, Jicama & Potato Salad

Don't you just love it when a new report comes out that blames one particular food for making us fat? Potatoes (according to Nutrition Data) are Low in fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. They're a good source of Vitamin C, B6 and Potassium, and high in fiber. Recent media chatter would suggest that the humble potato is a fat producing tuber-tiger. The farm fresh potato is not the villian, but maybe processed badly-fried and double baked oily cheese and bacon covered bowls of them could add a few extra lardons to our waist line. If that's accompanied by pitchers of beer and a lot of sitting on our rumps, we could probably rack up a few sizes, too. I don't think the potatoes need to take the blame on this one, do you?With that in mind, (and also as a late dated posting for this month's Daring Cooks) I bring you this Heart Healthy Heritage Potato Salad from potatoes that slept on a farm last week.Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!

RECIPE: Apple, Jicama, Potato Salad (California Style)

1lb. Farmer's Market Potatoes
1 Apple
1/4 Large Jicama
2 tsps Lemon juice
Fresh Thyme
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbls. Olive Oil
salt/pepper
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbls. (minced) Shallot
3 Tbls Balsamic Vinegar
Fresh Tarragon or more thyme

1) Wash, scrub and cut the potatoes into small chunks. Peel and cube the Apple and the Jicama, sprinkle with lemon juice and hold for later.
2) Place the potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tbls. olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and scatter fresh thyme over the top.
3) Roast these for about 20 minutes til tender, but not overcooked. You want them to hold up for tossing as a salad later.
4) While the potatoes cool, prepare the Vinaigrette Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon Mustard, Shallot, Balsamic Vinegar, pinch of salt and pepper, and fresh herbs. Continue to whisk briskly while drizzling in the 1/4 cup Olive oil. Only use as much as you need to create a thick dressing. Adjust seasoning as desired.
5) When the potatoes have cooled, toss them in a bowl with the dressing and the Apple and Jicama cubes.
**The flavors are even more full when allowed to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to meld.**

Carrot & Cucumber Ribbon Salad with White Wine Tarragon Vinaigrette

Carrot & Cucumber Ribbon Salad
with White Wine Tarragon Vinaigrette

My family includes vegetarians, meat eaters, vegans, picky and peculiar, and no sugar/no flour. When we all get together for a dinner - the prep can be....challenging. If you read this blog, you know I like challenging. I get a kick out of recipe developing around certain ingredients, diet restrictions or cultures. During one of our recent gatherings I really needed to expand the menu a little with something fresh, raw, crunchy, without sugar or flour, but still full of flavor.
I grabbed a couple veggies and started playing. I peeled the carrots, but left the vitamin filled peelings on the cucumbers. I warmed up the raw crispiness with just a slight toast to a handful of pine nuts. I added a little heat with some cracked pepper. I added a little tang with a White Wine Tarragon Vinaigrette. The natural sweet would be in the Farmer's Market straight out of the soil Carrots and Cucumbers.

For the meat eaters, this was a great palate cleanser. The vegetarian, vegans, and no sugar/no flour folks were thrilled with a healthy plate of "yeah, I get you" food. And, I think the colors even drew in the "picky peculiars" because I saw a few ribbons being slurped up by them, too.This is a quick way to splash up your beige foods and add a little crunch to your crowd.

Recipe: Carrot & Cucumber Ribbon Salad

2 carrots (cleaned and peeled)
2 cucumbers (cleaned)
1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
dash of kosher salt
pinch of fresh cracked pepper

1) Using a Peeler, slice ribbons from the carrots and cucumbers into a colander.
2) Sprinkle a dash of salt over the ribbons, toss and let drain for a few minutes.
3) When ready to serve: toss the ribbons with a drizzle of the vinaigrette and lift them out into a platter. Top with toasted pine nuts and cracked pepper. Can be served room temp or chilled first.

Recipe: White Wine Tarragon Vinaigrette

2 glugs of white wine vinegar (about 1/8 cup)
1 tsp minced shallots or white onion
1 tsp (or more if you desire) fresh chopped (or dried) Tarragon leaves
salt/pepper
6 glugs of Olive Oil (about 3/4 cup)

1) In a bowl, add the white wine vinegar, minced shallot, tarragon, salt and pepper. Whisk together.
2) Slowly drizzle the Olive Oil into the bowl, whisking continuously until a nice thick vinaigrette is achieved. Chill.

Nut Milk - I'm Not Kidding

I'm going to blame having a teenager in the house for the fact that I can't say the words, "Nut Milk" without laughing. And I don't mean just in a scatological way, but the sound of it, too. I would expect to read it in a Warner Bros Looney Tunes manual. I would expect "Scrappy the Squirrel" to have Nut Milk. And now, I have a bottle of chilled & creamy Nut Milk in my refrigerator (snicker snicker.)

Almond Nut Milk

Here's the reality: Nut Milk is not only filling, full of fiber, chock full of nutrients - it has a really deep flavor that dairy milk (especially non-fat) is sometimes missing. For almost two years, I've been posting recipes with a very fun online group of friends called "Lets Lunch". What started as an idea for a "virtual lunch" with Cheryl (A Tiger In The Kitchen) and Elise (Cowgirl Chef) who live in two different parts of the world, has turned into a monthly online lunch club (that anyone can join) with people all over the planet.The special thing about today's "Lets Lunch" is that it represents the best of what blogging, tweeting and Face Booking can do: Bring together real people with real feelings for a real moment. One of our very fun and talented "Lets Lunch" buddies is on a restricted, all liquid diet as she successfully recovers from Cancer Surgery. So, this month - we all are posting liquid lunch ideas. It's a virtual way of sending a real message of love and support, while also posting some very cool liquid lunch ideas.

Almond Nut Milk Granita
(see directions for Granita here)

Maybe that's also the reason I can't say "Nut Milk" without laughing. It's the joy. Yeah, I'll admit it. It gives me great joy to think of ways that food and friends can come together for something very real life, using our virtual capabilities. I researched for a while before deciding I wanted to make something a little different (for me) that also introduces a new ingredient idea for other cooking. Even if it's just another way to make Chocolate Milk or a Healthy Smoothy.

Almond Nut Milk, Banana & Honey Smoothy

Join us in wishing a speedy recovery to Karen. Go check out the inventive liquid "Lets Lunch" posts from around the world. Enjoy making and drinking Nut Milk (pause for laughter), knowing that it's healthy, and can be used to replace dairy in baked goods, cereals and for a lot of your cooking liquids.

Almond Nut Milk Cappuccino

There are many different kinds of Nut Milk, including Cashew, Pecan, Pine Nuts and even Macadamia nuts. I tried Almond Milk because I've worked with them before and the taste is full, but with room to add flavorings too. I found the Ratio of nuts to water was about 1 cup of nuts to 3 cups of water, but you can experiment to see how thick or light you'd like it. I didn't add sugar, but I think a touch of Agave, Stevia, Honey or your choice of sugar would taste great.The researched tips suggested always using filtered water, and to keep Nut Milks refrigerated (since they're not pasteurized) for 2-4 days only. RECIPE: ALMOND NUT MILK

1 cup raw organic almonds
3 cups filtered water (heated)
1/2 Vanilla Bean

**Optional: cocoa, lavender, honey, banana, caramel sauce, sweetener.

1) Soak the almonds in filtered water for at least 8-12 hours or overnight. Rinse and drain.
2) In a food processor, add the almonds and pulse til ground, but not into Nut Butter.
3) Split and scrape the vanilla out of the 1/2 vanilla bean (or a tsp vanilla paste) and add to the almonds, along with the heated water.
4) Puree together - taste and check along the way to please your own palate.
5) Strain the Nut Milk through double thickness of cheese cloth or through a Jelly bag. 6) Keep in a clean bottle in the refrigerator for drinking, baking (or my fav: adding chocolate, a banana & a tsp. honey and frothing it into a smoothie, Mmmm)

Join us for the next "Lets Lunch" by typing #letslunch into Twitter or leaving a comment here for me to contact you. We'd love to get to know you, and post together. Sending you sincere wishes for health and happiness and "Nut Milk" giggles.

See all of these fun and thoughtful posts for Lets Lunch:

Peanut Butter-Espresso Smoothie - Cooking in The Fruit Bowl

Miso Bacon Corn Chowder - A Tiger In The Kitchen

Cucumber-Avocado Gazpacho - Cowgirl Chef

Spring Greens Soup with Homemade Baguette - Caitlin Shetterly

Spring Pea & Mint Soup - Hot Curries & Cold Beer

Gazpacho - The Kitchen Trials

Turnip, Chinese Mushroom & Pork Soup - Be a Wok Star

Italian Flatbread: La Cecina, French Street Bread: Socca - Simple Saturday

This Simple Saturday flat bread is called La Cecina or Farinata in Italy, Socca in France and the same basic bread is eaten in hundreds of places around the world. I've tried it in France, Italy and Barcelona - different names, same basic ingredients. I can't imagine a homemade flat bread easier than this.

La Cecina or Socca
or Farinata Flat Bread

Not only is it toasty, earthy, and filling - it's naturally gluten free, high in minerals and fiber and can be eaten alone or made into a pizza, sandwich or crepe. It can be chewy and soft, thin or thick, dense or a crispy cracker. No wonder it has been embraced and renamed to represent so many peoples.

There seems to be two ways to see our world: how much we are alike, or how much we differ. I see us as the perfect feast. We include varied courses, some of us are challenging to the taste buds, others make us feel cozy like home, and some of us are better digested with a good wine.There are songs written about "love" being all we need, there are a thousand commercials showing how much families are alike, there are science books listing how we all need water, food and light. And, if you've ever seen a group of young children together you know neither language or politics come before chasing, playing and laughing together. Often, food is the great emulsifier that brings us all together, even when we would normally be like oil and water.

The flour used for this easy flat bread is called Garbanzo Flour or Chickpea Flour and is made from the beans (if you've never bought any flour other than All Purpose or Self-Rising - here is a no risk, easy way to venture out just a bit.) So many grocery stores in the United States now carry more varieties of flours, don't be afraid to ask for this, or give a look in the specialty area of the baking aisle. Bob's Red Mill is a well known and widely carried brand. After you use some of the Garbanzo/Chickpea Flour, roll up the bag and store in the freezer; it will last for months that way.

RECIPE: La Cecina or Socca or Farinata or Flatbread

1 cup Garbanzo Flour/Chickpea Flour
3/4 - 1 cup of water
2 Tbls. Olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
**Optional (used in the bread pictured): 1 Tsp. minced Jalapeno, 1 Tbls. minced shallot, Pinch of dried thyme, pinch of minced fresh parsley

1) In a bowl, pour in the flour and add a little of the water. Whisk to make a paste, then add the rest of the water and whisk to incorporate and work out lumps.
2) Add the rest of the ingredients (you may also cook the pepper and onions first to give them a roasted flavor, then add them.) Let this sit for 30 mins to several hours to soak and bloom.

3) Drizzle just a covering of Olive Oil into a flat bottom skillet (cast iron works great) and heat over Med/High heat on the stove top.
4) Pour the batter into the skillet and allow to cook until the bottom is set. Then move the pan into a preheated oven on 375F, continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes or browned to your taste.
5) Remove and slide flat bread onto a towel or board. Cut into triangles (a pizza cutter works great), and serve. This is a perfect pairing with spreads, sauces, dips, eggs, salad or plain snacking.On the streets of France, Socca is poured out very thin onto a giant cast iron pan and cooked at a high heat to be served up more like grilled crispy crackers. Try it thin and thick to discover which way you prefer this global flat bread. I'd love to hear about other foods you have discovered that are basically the same around the world.