Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Serve With Some Warm Pita Or Naan Bread!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required

Ingredients
15 oz. can Garbanzo beans, drained
1 whole roasted red pepper (jarred),chopped
2 tbsp Tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp Harrisa powder
2 cloves garlic, finely mince
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools

Food processor

Directions
Place all ingredients in food processor and puree until smooth, you can reserve some beans and chopped pepper for garnish.  Adjust seasoning to suit your taste. Drizzle with olive oil, serve with pita or Naan bread.
Serves 4 

 

Greek Meatballs With Roasted Tomato Sauce

Greek Meatballs With Roasted Tomato Sauce
On A Mediterranean Flat Bread
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

   

Ingredients
Mediterranean Flat bread
2 cups Arugula
1 cup cucumber, diced
1 cup Feta cheese, crumbles
1/2 lb. ground lamb
1/2 lb. ground beef
2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, minced
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, minced
1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1/2 cup onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp green onion, minced
3 tbsp Parmesan, grated
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
olive oil, drizzle

 Cooking Tools
2 foil lined sheet pans
Medium mixing bowl
Medium skillet
Food processor

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, add; ground lamb, ground beef, mint leaves, basil leaves, oregano, parsley, onion, garlic, green onion, Parmesan cheese, Panko bread crumbs, cold water, cinnamon, egg, salt and pepper.  Mix all ingredients until well incorporated.  Shape into meatballs, will yield approx. 1 dozen.  Place meatballs on a sheet pan and bake in oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and place Flat bread on a serving platter, line with a 1/2 cup of Arugula, place meatballs on top.  Spoon Roasted Tomato Sauce (recipe below) on top of meatballs and garnish with diced cucumbers and Feta cheese.  Drizzle with some olive oil (optional).
Serves 4

Roasted Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
2 lbs. Roma tomatoes, halved
7-8 cloves garlic, whole
olive oil, drizzle + 1/4 cup
salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F. Place halved Roma tomatoes on a sheet pan with the whole garlic cloves.  Drizzle the tomatoes and garlic with a generous amount of olive oil and season with salt.  Roast in oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and place in a food processor and pulse until semi-smooth, small chunks are fine.  Place 1/4 cup of olive oil in a skillet on simmering heat, then add in the blended tomato sauce and cook for additional 10-15 minutes, season to taste.

Trio Flatbread

Trio Flatbread
Mediterranean Vegetable, Prosciutto & Balsamic Onion,
Anchovies & Mushrooms!
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Trio Flatbread
Ingredients
3 cups bread flour + dusting
1 cup warm water
2 tsp dry yeast
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil + greasing
1 tsp salt

Toppings
2 cups asparagus tips
1 cup Brussels sprouts, sliced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 cup roasted red pepper, sliced
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, sliced
6 slices anchovies
1 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup jarred basil pesto
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
6 slices, prosciutto
3 tbsp fig/balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
olive oil for sauteing
1 cup arugula mix
salt
pepper
dried oregano
crush red pepper flakes
fresh parsley, (optional)


Cooking Tools
Mixing bowl
Parchment line sheet pan
Or Pizza stone
Rolling pin
Frying pan

Directions
To make the basic flatbread, add; warm water yeast and sugar in a clean mixing bowl, stir and set aside.  The yeast will activate in about 5 minutes and then add flour, mix with a fork, add salt and olive oil.  using your hand mix flour and then place ball of dough on a floured work surface and knead the bread dough for about 5 minutes, place ball of dough into the greased mixing bowl. cover and place in a warm location or bread proof in oven for 1 hour.  Punch down risen dough and place on a floured work surface and cut into 3 or 4 equal portions and roll out each dough ball into your desired shape and size. Preheat oven to 425 Degrees F.
While the bread is proofing.  Saute asparagus, Brussels sprouts, garlic and sun dried tomatoes separately in olive oil, salt and pepper. Saute onions with olive oil, fig/balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp of sugar until onions start to caramelize.  Set sauteed vegetables and topping aside until ready to assemble flatbreads.

Mediterranean Vegetable Flatbread
Place rolled out flat bread onto a parchment lined sheet pan,  Coat top of flatbread dough with olive oil evenly and place in oven and bake for 8 minutes until light and crispy and the dough is cooked through. Place some basil pesto, asparagus tips, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, oregano, roasted red pepper and dollops of ricotta cheese evenly on flatbread.

Prosciutto & Balsamic Onion Flatbread
Place rolled out flatbread on a parchment lined sheet pan.  Coat top of flatbread dough with olive oil evenly and place in oven and bake for 8 minutes until light and
crispy and the dough is cooked through. Place some asparagus, balsamic onions, prosciutto, arugula and Parmesan shavings evenly on flatbread. Top with crushed red pepper flakes.

Anchovies & Mushroom Flatbread
Place rolled out flatbread onto parchment lined sheet pan.  Coat top of flatbread with olive oil evenly. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce, then top with anchovies and mushrooms and place in oven and bake for 8 minutes until light and crispy and the dough is cooked through. Remove from oven and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and place back in oven for an additional minute until cheese is melted.  Garnish with fresh parsley (optional).

Serves 6-8

Summer Farro Salad

Summer Farro Salad
Perfect For A Light And Healthy Dinner!
Difficulty: Easy



 Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dried Farro (cook according to directions)
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced
1 cup seedless English cucumbers, diced
1/2 cup red onion, minced
3/4 cup carrots, julienned
1 cup mandarin oranges
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups Arugula
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 tsp garlic, pressed
1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
juice of 1 large lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp champagne vinegar
salt
pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

 

 

Directions
Cook Farro according to manufactures direction, drain of any excess liquid in colander and let cool to room temperature.  Place Farro in a mixing bowl and add all the ingredients except the mandarin oranges.  Toss until well coated, salt and pepper to taste.  Toss in the mandarin oranges last so they don't break apart.
Serve at room temperature.
Serves 4



Prosciutto Wrapped Sea Bass With Green Pea Risotto

Prosciutto Wrapped Sea Bass With Green Pea Risotto
Delicate Flavors Of The Mediterranean!
Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients
4  sea bass fillets,  6-8 oz. portions
8 slices of prosciutto
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup onion, minced
5 cup hot chicken stock, divided
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 tsp garlic, minced
salt
pepper
olive oil
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
Preheat oven 350 Degrees F.  Prepare the fillets for baking by salt and pepper each fillet.  Place 2 slices of prosciutto in a + and place fish in center and wrap, place in a greased baking dish and Bake for 20- 25 minutes.

Green Pea Risotto
Directions
In a small sauce pan, add 1 cup chicken stock, peas, garlic and onions.  Heat on medium heat for 5 minutes and then place in a food processor and puree, be sure to be careful with hot liquid!  Set aside pea puree.  In a large pan, add drizzle of olive oil on low heat; add rice and sauté for few minutes.  Add ladle of chicken stock and stir until liquid starts to absorb in the rice, repeat liquid until rice is almost done.  Add the peas puree to the rice and continue to cook the total cooking time is about 30-35 minutes, salt and pepper and add the cream and parmesan at the end of cooking time.
To serve:  Place risotto in a serving bowl and place prosciutto wrapped sea bass on top, fresh cracked pepper (optional).
Serves 4

Mediterranean Turkey Meatloaf

Mediterranean Turkey Meatloaf
A Healthy And Delicious Recipe!
Difficulty: Easy

Serve With Your Favorite Vegetable.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey, preferably dark meat

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley minced (optional)

1/2 cup oil and herb-marinated sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup onions diced

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tbsp whole milk

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup drained and sliced black olives

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 1/2 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp olive oil

salt

pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a mixing bowl, place all the ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Place in a greased loaf pan or the way I always make my meatloaf
is to free form a elongated half dome on a greased baking sheet or lined with parchment paper. Evenly coat the top of the loaf with Balsamic Ketchup Glaze  (recipe below) Cook for 45 minutes to and hour, depending on the thickness of your loaf.
Cook until the juices run clear. The internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Serves 6

Balsamic Ketchup Glaze
Ingredients
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients.

 

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Flat Bread

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Flatbread

Ingredients to make Flatbread
1 package active yeast 
1/2 tsp sugar 
1 3/4 cup 00 flour
1 tsp  salt course
1 tbsp  Thyme  Fresh leave
3/4 cup  Water 
1 tbsp  oil

Directions to make Flatbread
In the bowl of a food processor combine the yeast, sugar, flour, salt and thyme. Pulse to combine. Add the water in a steady stream until the dough begins to form a ball, turn it on to a board and knead with the heel of your hand until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Coat a bowl with oil. Place dough in bowl, and cover with a damp cloth. Put in a warm spot to rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
When the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough, scrape it onto the counter and knead it lightly into a smooth ball. slit in two and using a rolling pin and small amount of flour on work surface, roll out into flat rectangles.
Place on greased sheet pans rub top with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 min.  Remove, ley cool slightly then place toppings on the flatbread.

Ingredients for Toppings
1 grilled chicken breast sliced thin (fully cooked)
2 cups spring salad mix
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 shredded parmesan cheese
1 tomato sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions to make the Topping
To make the balsamic glaze, in a small pot mix balsamic vinegar and sugar and smmer until it reduces down to a thick syrup.  Set aside.
Once the flatbread has slightly cooled, layer all the topping onto the flatbread and drizzle with the balsamic glaze
Serves 2