Grilled Edamame with Sea Salt

I'll never turn down a bowl of Edamame. In fact, I can make a whole bowl of it disappear pretty darn fast at a sushi restaurant. There is something about grilling it that takes it to a sublime level. It brings out a smokey and earthiness flavor in the beans. I grilled my mine on a stove top grill. If you decided to try this on a traditional grill, I highly suggest that you use a veggie basket. You don't want all your lovely edamame to end up on the bottom of your grill. 

Grilled Edamame:

1 package of edamame 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions: 

Cook edamame according to the directions on the package. Add edamame to a bowl and pour in the olive oil. Toss beans until they are completely covered in the oil. On a stove top grill, cook until grill marks appear, turning several times. Sprinkle with sea salt when you are ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Tuscan White Bean Dip

A favorite Italian restaurant of mine called Paesanos serves this dip as a starter before your meal along with bread and olives. I'm usually so busy gorging myself on the dip that by the time my meal comes I'm not even hungry. I have no idea what their recipe is so I had to invent my own. I have to say it comes pretty darn close. It is luscious, creamy and delicious.


Tuscan White Bean Dip:
1 15 oz Cannellini white beans
1/4 cup garlic, rosemary and red chili infused olive oil 
(you can make this by following the recipe here or buy an infused oil at the store)
1 tablespoon sundried tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Drain beans and place them in a food processor. Add in the sundried tomatoes,infused olive oil, salt & pepper and puree. 


*** I served this with Naan bread, which I cut into 1 inch strips, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with smoked paprika, black sesame seeds, cumin seeds, caraway seeds and broiled in the oven until golden brown. For a gluten free alternative, you could serve it with sliced veggies. ***

Note: I use generous amount of olive oil to get a smooth consistency in my dip. If you like your dip to be bit more chunky, just scale back on the oil.


Enjoy!

A Tuscan Tasting

Tuscan White Bean Dip with seeded bread sticks and Olives with Lemon and Rosemary

Garlic, Red Chili and Rosemary Infused Olive Oil

Kalamata Olives with Meyer Lemon Peels, Fresh Rosemary and Olive Oil

A little teaser for you of recipes to come...

Happy Friday!

Baked Apple Chips

I have a fondness for apples. I think it is part of the reason I look forward to fall. I can't wait for apple season to begin. I usually eat them for breakfast or for a snack. When I was craving my mid afternoon snack the other day, I thought why not do something different. That is when it occurred to me to sprinkle them with apple pie spices and bake them. The first batch did not turn out. In fact, thanks to the oven being set too high, they were slightly burnt. I also realized it helps to cut the apples on a mandoline. I just tried to slice mine really thin. The thinner you can get them the crispier they will be. I also realized that you want to cook them on a low temperature. I set the oven at 200 degrees, however, when I make them again, I would set it at 250. The slow and low method is the best. I didn't even bother to core them. I think next time I'm going to experiment with a variety of different apples. Here is my recipe:

Baked Apple Chips

1-2 Apples (I used jonagold)

Spices - Vanilla sugar, ground cloves and cinnamon

Directions:

Slice apples very thin. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange apple slices. Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes. Flip apples over and cook for another 30 minutes.

I'm thinking that these would go well with some pumpkin butter. What do you think?

Kale Chips

Kale Chips are a healthy easy to make snack. All you need is some Kale (I like to use the dinosaur kale variety), olive oil, salt & pepper and parmesan cheese to garnish. That is it!! First, wash the kale and dry it very well. I usually put mine in a salad spinner to get the excess water off or you could pat it dry with a towel. Then rub your kale down with olive oil. Give it a nice little massage, making sure to get the olive oil into the kale. Season with salt & pepper and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Garnish with parmesan cheese.