by Sharm | Apr 11, 2018 | Food & Drink, Mains, Recipes
This margherita pizza uses a pre-made cauliflower crust which you can find in the freezer section at most grocery stores. Not only does using this pre-made crust save time, it also saves on calories and carbs!
Drizzling the balsamic glaze on top just before serving adds another element of flavor to this dish. You can make your own by reducing regular balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over the stove top. It is also available pre made in a squeeze bottle at most grocery stores. Find it in the vinegar and salad dressing isle.
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
Servings: 2
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1
Pre-Made Frozen
Cauliflower Crust
Find in your grocers freezer section
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1/2
Cup
Pizza Sauce
Whatever kind is your favorite
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1
Clove
Garlic, chopped
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6
Mini
Fresh Mozzarella Balls
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10
Fresh Basil Leaves
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10
Sun Dried Tomatoes
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4
Grape Tomatoes, sliced
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1
Tablspoon
Balsamic Glaze
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unwrap cauliflower crust from packaging and place on baking sheet
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Spread pizza sauce evenly over crust.
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Top with remaining ingredients.
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Remove from oven. sprinkle additional fresh basil if desired. Cut into 4 slices. Drizzle balsamic glaze over top if desired.
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by Sharm | Jun 20, 2016 | Food & Drink, Recipes
This Rosemary and Balsamic marinade is delicious on chicken, steak or pork or even as a salad dressing. I participate in the Whole Foods Market Ambassador program and a theme this month along with grilling stone fruits where you can find my recipe for Grilled Peaches and Cherries with Honey Goat Cheese was marinades. I make this marinade all the time so thought it would be a good time to share it with you. I wish to thank Whole Foods Market for supplying me with a gift card to purchase the ingredients.
1 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
2-3 Cloves Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
Combine olive oil and vinegar. Strip rosemary leaves from stem. Peel garlic cloves and smash with knife. If using for a salad dressing, finely chop the garlic and rosemary. Add rosemary and garlic to olive oil mixture then add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to combine.
Pour over desired meat and let marinate. Cook meat as desired. Be sure to check out the tips below from Whole Foods Market on marinating times for different meats and other cool ideas.
Marinating Tips
•Why it’s cool: Marinating meat, veggies, mushrooms, tofu, or tempeh gives your food a new depth of flavor – and possibilities are endless! Marinades can also tenderize meat.
•Need to know:
Red meat and pork should be marinated for at least an hour and up to overnight.
Poultry cuts on the bone should marinate for about an hour, but boneless cuts like a breast only need 30 minutes – too long and it gets mushy!
Never marinate fish or shellfish longer than 20 to 30 minutes in a citrus- or vinegar-based mixture! You can actually cook the fish from the acid in the marinade.
Veggies such as bell peppers, onions, summer squash, etc. can be marinated for 30 minutes or longer, but no more than an hour or two is necessary.
Thick veggies like potatoes, sweet potatoes and thick cuts of carrots need to be parboiled first.
Marinate pineapple, peaches, plums, and nectarines for about 30 minutes.
•Recipe: Summer Squash Grilling Packs
•Take it easy: Whole Foods Market sells a variety of pre-cut veggies that are ready to marinate and grill for quick & easy summertime meals.
Guide from WFM: Marinade and Dry Rub Ideas
by Sharm | Jun 20, 2016 | Decedent Desserts, Entertaining, Food & Drink, Recipes
This recipe was inspired as part of the Whole Foods Amabassador program I take part in. Every month there is a different theme and this month features grilling stone fruits. These grilled peaches adorned with the smokey sweet grilled cherries are super easy to make. Adding the salty goat cheese, sweet honey and crunchy almond mix from Sahale makes an amazing flavor and texture combination.
I made a large batch of these as I had my sister and her family visiting for the weekend.
These peaches served as dessert after an amazing balsamic and rosemary marinated grilled chicken we grilled out for dinner.
Impress your guests with this beautiful dessert. I wish to thank Whole Foods for supplying me a gift card to purchase the ingredients. Be Sure to check out the tips below from Whole Foods Market on the best way to grill up stone fruits.
10 Peaches
2 Pounds Fresh Cherries
1 Package 10.5 ounces Goat Cheese
1/2 cup nut of choice, chopped
Honey to taste
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
These peaches are so easy to make, but can be tricky if your peaches are not quite ripe enough as was the case for me. When picking them out they felt ripe, but as I got home to cut them open they would not pull away from the pit so I sliced off each half as close to the pit as I could and it worked fine. With all of the topping on the peaches you would never know there was not a pit indention.
Directions:
First thing you will want to set out the goat cheese to start softening. Then preheat your grill. Next wash and prepare your fruits
For Peaches:
Cut peaches in half and brush cut side with olive oil.
For Cherries
Pit Cherries. Using a cherry pitter is going to be the easiest way to do this but if you do not have one you can use a chopstick or straw to poke it through.
Heat grill and place cherries on a grill pan and peaches cut side down. Cook until peaches are slightly soft and have the caramelized grill marks. Give them a quick turn and grill on the other side for just a couple of minutes. Give the cherries a little stir a few times during cooking to get all sides cooked
While peaches are cooking, chop up your nut of choice. I had some single serving packages of honey almond Sahale nuts that needed used up so I used those but you can use any nut you like.
Once peaches and cherries are done. Remove from grill and place on serving platter. Using a medium size scoop, place a dollop of goat cheese on each peach. Top with a grilled cherry and chopped nut mix. Drizzle honey on top to taste.
This makes 20 halves so can serve 10 – 20. You can always cut the recipe in half for a smaller group.
Tips on using stone fruits.
• Why they’re cool: Peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots – and don’t forget cherries! These delicious fruits ripen in summertime, and can be used in creative ways in the kitchen and on the grill.
• Grilling need to know:
Pick out a stone fruit that is ripe and firm, so it doesn’t fall apart under heat. Check out this video.
•Use moderate heat to caramelize the fruit, leaving grill marks – this is called the Maillard reaction, and by caramelizing the fruit hundreds of new flavor compounds are created. Check out this video on
•To prevent sticking, clean the grill grate well, and wipe lightly with a paper towel and neutral-flavor oil such as canola or grapeseed oil.
Awesome recipe: Smoky Nectarine Punch
by Sharm | Apr 22, 2016 | Food & Drink, Recipes, Whole Foods Market
Have you heard of jackfruit and wondered, what the heck is a jackfruit?
As a Whole Foods Market Ambassador I am sent a monthly email with different themes and specials going on in the store every month along with some great recipes to share with all of you.
I also get to create my own recipes using the information from the email. This months theme is what is tasting best right now in April.
Below is a list from Whole Foods Market about what is best right now in their stores, featuring what is local and seasonally available.
Local honey and meats
Fennel
Rhubarb
Jackfruit
You will notice jackfruit on that list. I bought a fresh jackfruit a few years ago and really could not figure out how to eat it or if I even liked it. Jackfruit grows on trees and mostly in tropical regions. You can read more about the jackfruit here.
After this email, I checked out the link for the jackfruit recipes and noticed there is a canned version. Inspired that I could swap it out for canned chicken, I hot footed over to Whole Foods Market to get some canned jackfruit. I also found a refrigerated marinated kind from the Jackfruit Company and picked that up too.
Jackfruit shreds like canned chicken or pulled pork and can really take on any flavor you wish to incorporate with it. I use canned chicken all the time so I tried swapping it out in my favorite enchilada, white chili and chicken salad recipes and the results were delicious. Better yet I fooled my husband. After I had told him what it was he said he did not realize it wasn’t shredded chicken.
If you are looking to incorporate more vegetarian dishes in your diet or just want to have a meatless Monday check my recipe for Chipotle Jackfruit Lettuce Wraps.
I wish to thank Whole Foods for supplying me with a gift card to purchase the ingredients for the recipe.
Recipe Inspiration from Whole Foods Market
• Seared Lamb Shoulder Chops with Warm Chimichurri (For markets with local lamb)
• Homemade Honey Marshmallows (with local honey)
• Arugula and Fennel Salad
• Tilapia with Fennel and Tomato
• Rhubarb Cream Pie
• Pink Lady Apple, Fennel and Rhubarb Crumble with Buttermilk Sherbet
• 12 Jackfruit Recipes
by Sharm | Feb 20, 2016 | Entertaining, Food & Drink, Recipes, Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market makes entertaining easy so if you are planning a red carpet get together with friends to watch the Oscars on February 28, Whole Foods Market can help you make an award winning spread.
My favorite dishes to make when hosting an event with friends is an elegant charcuterie board and caprese salad with crostini toasts. These are finger friendly dishes that allow guest to mingle and visit while enjoying a selection of cured meats, cheeses and complimenting foods.
For the caprese salad Whole Foods Market has a great selection of tomatoes. I like using the plum variety as they are the perfect size.
Their fresh mozzarella is delicious and the house made crostini toasts make the perfect vessel for enjoying this appetizer.
Charcuterie boards are elegant looking and easy to customize using your favorite cured meats and cheeses. Whole Foods Market has a wide variety of cheese from all over the world and natural cured meats that are free from antibiotics, nitrates and MSG.
The in-house relish bar is has a wide variety of olives and pickled items to amp up the flavor of the board.
I will admit I really do not measure anything. So the recipes below are not really recipes but more of ideas of what I use to put things together. I usually just guesstimate on the amount I need for the crowd.
Caprese Salad with Crostini Toasts
Caprese Salad
Plum Tomatoes
Fresh Basil
Fresh Mozzarella
Directions:
Slice plum tomatoes into 1/4″ slices. Slice fresh mozzarella into 1/4″ slices. Rinse fresh basil and pluck leaves from stem. On a serving platter, layer a slice of the fresh mozzarella a basil leaf and then tomato. Follow this pattern until tray is filled to your liking. I sometimes drizzle a balsamic glaze over the top. This can be made by reducing balsamic vinegar in a pan on the stove top or there are companies that make it and it can be found in the isle with vinegars and dressing at the grocery store.
Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie Board
Assorted cured meats of choice
Assorted cheeses of choice
Assorted olives or pickled vegetables
Grapes or apple slices
Assorted crackers
This can be arranged however you like. Sometimes I will use platters and serving dishes as pictured. I also have a large wood cutting board that I will sometimes arrange the ingredients on.
Below are some tips and recipes from Whole Foods Market that you can use to put together a red carpet worthy spread while not breaking the bank! I wish to thank Whole Foods Market for supplying me a gift card to purchase the ingredients.
BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINING ON AN INDIE BUDGET
Awards season is even better when you can throw a blockbuster party on an indie budget. Here are a few insider tips from Whole Foods Market experts for a budget-friendly, buzzworthy viewing party:
• Think like craft service –Not only is it easier and more fun to graze on small bites throughout the show, but swapping an entrée for heavy appetizers can save a few bucks. Let Whole Foods Market’s prepared foods team do the cooking with Sriracha chicken wontons or wings. Our meat department also has ready-to-cook, crowd-pleasing meatballs from Nature’s Rancher, raised with no added growth hormones and no antibiotics, ever.
• Have one big star – Just like a red carpet, if your buffet has one big star, the whole scene feels fancy. There’s no bigger star than the King of Cheeses, Parmigiano Reggiano. This very special Italian cheese is known for its intensely complex, nutty, sweet, grassy, creamy flavor. Whole Foods Market only offers Parm that’s been aged a full 24 months, which means this bold flavor will steal the show in the best way.
• Keep them entertained – When the show lulls, have an activity to keep things lively, like a blind wine tasting. This is a fun exercise for novice and expert wine drinkers alike, and Whole Foods Market’s Criterion wines make it easy to do. This collection is intended to be classic, benchmark examples of wine styles from important wine regions around the world. Simply choose 3 varietals from Criterion’s roster to serve as the standard, and pair it against a popular bottle of the same variety (for a total of 6 bottles). Cover them both with paper bags and have guests compare. For extra points, create an awards ballot of your own to choose a winning wine.
• Best actor goes to citrus! – Vibrant, sweet and tangy citrus is a true chameleon when it comes to entertaining. Abundant bowls of clementines serves as a centerpiece and a snack or dessert, so no need to spend extra on flowers. Citrus also makes water a party-worthy beverage. Slice rings to put in a clear drink dispenser, or add small slices and wedges to individual glasses. Skip the fancy sparkling waters or juices with this seasonal star.
RECIPES
· Blue Cheese Herb Popcorn
· Herbed Garlic Parmigiano Reggiano Popcorn
· Sweet and Smoky Popcorn and Nut Mix
· Brie Toasts With Spiced Sundried Tomato Compote
