"Where I Wanna Be" Series

This series will feature various photos of places in the world we find inspirational and, well, beautiful! They are the places we wish we could go if only we could. They are also places we may very well have been, but loved, missed, and wish we could visit again. They are simply where we wanna be :) All the photos we post will be available for viewing on our Facebook page in the "Where I Wanna Be" Photo Album. It's the perfect place to go for a little retreat :) Where do you wanna be?

Meatless Monday: Asparagus Artichoke Salad

I'm a huge fan of asparagus and love making it during the Spring.  As the weather continues to warm up, salads abundant with hearty veggies do just the trick to keep you going through your busy day feeling satisfied, yet not weighed down.

Ingredients:
1 large shallot sliced thin (alternatives: red onion or green onions/scallions)
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 lbs. thick asparagus (rinsed; tough ends broken off and discarded or saved for stock)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes (sliced in halves)
1-15 oz. marinated artichoke hears (quartered or halved)

Directions:
Soak the sliced shallots in the lemon juice as you prepare the rest of the salad.

Grill or roast your asparagus

To grill: Prepare your grill for high direct heat.  Coat the asparagus with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Grill them until nicely charred and fork tender, between 5 to 10 minutes).

To roast: Preheat oven to 400°F.  Coat the asparagus spears with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt them well.  Lay in a single layer in a foil-lined roasting pan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned and fork tender.

Remove the asparagus from the oven or grill and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Put the asparagus and all remaining ingredients into a large bowl and mix to combine.  Add as much of the marinated liquid from the jarred artichokes as you like.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Bon appetit!


[Recipe and Image via SimplyRecipes.com]

Meatless Monday

The "Meatless Monday" movement has been around for years, but I only heard about it recently. For those of you like me who weren't aware, this trend was designed not only to improve one's health, but also to improve our environment. Launched by Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in 2003, the concept of eliminating meat from one's diet just once a week can vastly improve cardiovascular health and conserve precious resources, such as water and fossil fuels. Most Americans consume more protein than necessary- almost twice as much as the USDA's daily recommendation of approximately 50 to 60 grams per day. Worried you may be one of those who does not eat enough protein? Try almonds or cashews (20 grams), black beans (15 grams), milk (8 grams), brown or white rice (5 grams) and broccoli (4 grams).

Share your meatless recipes with us so we can all participate in improving our health and the environment!

Recipe Swapping

Run out of an ingredient you need for a recipe? Try these inexpensive alternatives you may already have that are sure to trick your palette.

* Red Wine: Pure cranberry juice
* White wine: White grape juice or apple juice
* Buttermilk (1 cup): 1 cup milk plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or white vinegar (let stand for 10 minutes)
* Crème fraîche (1 cup): ½ cup sour cream mixed with ½ cup heavy cream
* Edamame: Green peas or black-eyed peas
* Maple syrup: Brown sugar with a little water
* Molasses: Honey
* Cake flour (1 cup): 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
* Macadamia nuts: Walnuts, almonds or cashews
* Fresh herbs (1 Tbsp.): 1 tsp. dried herbs
* Allspice (1 Tbsp.): 1 tsp. cinnamon plus 1 tsp. nutmeg plus 1 tsp. ground cloves
* Unsweetened chocolate (1 oz.): 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder plus 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
* Vanilla bean (1 inch long): 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* Chives: Scallion greens
* Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs