Usually I don’t post step-by-step recipe, but today I’ve decided to show you guys how to make your own fresh Farfalle pasta and I’m sure that step-by-step pictures will be extremely helpful. I know that making fresh pasta from scratch may sound too painstaking, but I guarantee that it is much easier than you think! It simply takes a little practice and the results will impress you. Artisan pasta is full of character and unlike its store-bought counterpart, it has silky texture, full fresh flavor and natural bright color. It is definitely worth your time and effort.

Hope you will like my little master class, and if you have nice ideas – please let me know, and I’ll make them work!

Fresh Farfalle Step-by-Step

By voloshyna, May 28, 2015

• Total Time: 01h 15min
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 01h 05min

Ingredients:

• unbleached all-purpose flour - 2 cups
• “00” Italian pasta flour - 1/2 cup
• large free-range eggs - 4
• extra virgin olive oil - 1 tablespoon

Instructions:

1. Place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs and olive oil. Beat on low speed until the mixture forms moist crumbs. Keep beating until the dough comes together and forms a mass that comes away cleanly from the side of the bowl. If the mixture is too dry and not coming together then sprinkle it with a couple of drops of water until it comes together.
2. Remove the dough from the mixer and transfer to a wooden board.
3. Knead the dough with your hands for 8-12 minutes until it is smooth and supple.
4. Cover the dough with a bowl or wrap tightly in plastic. Allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature to relax the gluten and allow the liquid to be fully absorbed by the flour.
5. Divide the dough into 2 or 4 sections. In my opinion 4 is better, because it easier to roll the smaller portions. Keep the remaining 3 sections covered to prevent the pasta from forming a hard skin.
6. Using a pasta machine on number 1 setting (the widest one) roll out the dough. Tip: Rolling out only one strip at a time will ensure that the dough is moist enough to seal properly when shaping.
7. Reduce the thickness of the dough by 1 number for each round of rolling until you have obtained the pasta dough thickness that you desire. On the Kitchen Aid machine I finished on number 4. Remember that the finished dough should be quite thin but not transparent.
8. Cut the stripe into 1 1/5 x 1-inch rectangles. Pinch each rectangle in the middle to form “bow ties’. Congratulations, you just made farfalle pasta!
9. Place farfalle on a baking sheet covered with a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with semolina flour. Pasta is now ready to be cooked or to be frozen. Looking for a recipe to use your homemade farfalle? Try this Creamy Mushroom Pasta.

Hi, everyone! I am finally back to blogging after a long silence. I’m not only back with a new recipe but also with a new fun experiment. The thing is that I’ve decided to try 21-day detox program that I’ve found on the internet. As a part of this cleansing diet I even turned into a vegan for a week, furthermore I survived it=). Maybe, for some of you this is not a big deal, but for such devoted meat lover as I am, not to eat any animal protein is a very serious decision. You would probably ask me, why I decided to change my diet so dramatically. The answer is – I did it just because of my natural curiosity; this quality is probably the most powerful force that drives me forward and always makes me try something new. Moreover, I read a lot of different articles and watched many movies about all the benefits of vegan and detox diets, so, I’ve decided to try if it works for me. Oh, I also decided to go nuts and not drink any alcohol and coffee, as well as not to eat anything that contains refined sugar, except for an extra dark chocolate, because I would not survive otherwise =) But, food is only one of the pieces of my detox puzzle. I also drink cleansing juices and teas, exercise five times a week and treated my body with the favorite Citrus Scrub. As a result, after one week of detox and one more week of the vegan diet, I’ve lost 3 pounds, and I’m feeling very well, strong and healthy. But we’ll see what my physician tells me tomorrow. I still have one more week of diet ahead of me, so if you’re curious about my little experiment, you can follow me on Instagram and Facebook, just to make sure I’m not cheating =)

But enough about my detox, it’s time for a new recipe! Regarding my new healthy lifestyle, I want to post this Mediterranean Sabich today, which is a pita bread open faced sandwich with a mix of fresh and grilled veggies, hard boiled eggs, and tahini sauce. I’ve found that Sabich is a very healthy and tasty alternative to American sandwiches and can be a real treat for those who are on a diet. P.S. This Sabich contains eggs only because I photographed it long before my vegan days =)

Sabich

By voloshyna, May 12, 2015

• Total Time: 01h 15min
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• large eggplant - 1
• large bell pepper - 1
• large red onion - 1
• sea salt - 1 tablespoon
• extra virgin olive oil - 1/4 cup
• pita bread or naan - 4
• tahini sauce - 1 cup
• hard boiled eggs - 4, peeled and quartered
• cherry tomatoes - 1 cup, halved
• cilantro - 1/2 cup, chopped
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• za'atar spice - to taste, optional

Instructions:

Cut the eggplant and onion into 1-inch thick rounds, and then slice the bell pepper into medium wedges. In a large bowl mix the vegetables with oil, season with salt. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8 to 10 minutes for the bell peppers; 15 minutes for the eggplant and onion. Arrange the vegetables on a platter and season with black pepper. Place 1 pita or naan on each plate, spoon some tahini sauce over each piece. Then arrange the grilled veggies, eggs and cherry tomatoes on top. Drizzle with more tahini sauce and sprinkle with za'atar spice and chopped cilantro.

This very traditional Italian dish will become a wonderful, easy and fulfilling weeknight family dinner.

Pasta Bolognese

By voloshyna, September 10, 2014

Ingredients:

• extra virgin olive oil - 1/4 cup
• medium yellow onion - 1, finely diced
• medium bell pepper - 1, finely diced
• celery stalks - 3-4, finely diced
• thickly sliced pancetta - 2 slices, finely diced
• ground beef - 1 lb.
• ground pork - 1/4 lb.
• garlic - 2 cloves, minced
• dry red wine - 1 cup
• diced tomatoes - 14 oz. can,
• tomato paste - 2 tablespoons
• chicken stock - 3/4 cup
• fresh thyme lives - 1/2 teaspoon
• crushed red pepper - 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• salt - to taste
• fresh basil leaves - 1/2 cup, chopped
• fettuccine or other pasta - 2 lb, fresh or dried
• freshly grated Parmesan - to taste

Instructions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and pancetta and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 7- 8 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture into a large bowl. Heat  the remaining olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine and 3/4 cup of the stock  into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and vegetable mixture, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook for 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add chopped basil leaves and remove from the heat. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well, return to the pot and toss with the sauce. Serve the pasta in deep bowls and pass the Parmesan at the table.

If you like mozzarella cheese then you will definitely love burrata, which is creamier and even tastier counterpart of mozzarella. Try to pick the best tomatoes you can find and I guarantee your salad will be amazingly flavorful. I highly recommend to visit your local farmers market to buy all the ingredients, I am sure you will find some hidden gems there. The secret of good food it’s just simple but really fresh ingredients!

Arugula-Burrata Salad

By voloshyna, August 11, 2014

• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• arugula - 4 cups
• big organic heirloom tomatoes - 2, sliced
• burrata cheese - 16 oz
• extra virgin olive oil - 2 oz + more for garnish
• balsamic vinegar - 1 tablespoon
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• toasted baguette - 6-8 slices

Instructions:

Whisk together olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, toss the arugula and tomatoes with balsamic dressing. Arrange dressed salad on a plate and top with burrata. Cut into burrata, allowing cheese to coat the arugula and drizzle with an olive oil; season with freshly ground pepper. Serve right away.

While this spring week seems to be pretty rainy in Palo Alto, that doesn’t mean we can’t have a vivid sunny meals on our plates! This fresh veggie appetizer seems like a perfect option to me. These rolls are roster eggplant slices, with creamy but light filling and slices of fresh ripe tomatoes inside. Since the eggplant is roasted instead of fried, this is a low-calorie, vegetarian dish. What else is good about this appetizer, is that it could be a perfect starter and set the mood for your tastebuds before the main dish, but at the same time it could be a light dinner when you try to eat healthy.

I don’t know which country had created this wonderful dish, but we love it in Ukraine. This time I’ve decided to make it more piquant by adding chopped walnuts and cilantro, but you can actually create your own unique filling with any ingredients you like. Just don’t be shy and express your creativity!

Eggplant Rolls with Cream Cheese, Walnuts and Cilantro

By voloshyna, April 3, 2014

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
• Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

• medium eggplants - 3
• extra-virgin olive oil - 2-3 tablespoons
• salt - to taste
• light cream cheese - 8 oz, room temperature
• raw walnuts - 3 tablespoons + more for garnish, finely chopped
• garlic - 2-3 cloves, minced
• cilantro - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• medium tomatoes - 2, cut into equal bars

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into thin slices, about 1/4 inch thin. Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil on both sides and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake eggplants for about 8-10 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile cook the filling. In a small bowl mix cream cheese, minced garlic, walnuts and cilantro. Seson to taste with salt and black pepper. Remove eggplants from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. To assemble the rolls, place a couple of tablespoons of filling and one tomato bar at one of end of a slice of eggplant. Roll and place on a plate seam-side down. Top the eggplant rolls with the chopped walnuts and cilantro.  

The most romantic holiday in the year is just around the corner, and that means you got to think about an amazing dinner you will cook for your sweetheart. Personally I’m still deciding what dish to make, to impress my (a little spoiled) husband. But I already have some very nice ideas that I want to share with you. As for the start I want to offer an incredibly delicious and refined salad with grilled lobster tail and roasted beets, which I adopted from Laurent Touronder cookbook “Go Fish”. I’ve cooked it recently, I it was a truly remarkable experience. First of all that was a first time I cooked lobster and it was fun and challenging at the same time. Second of all I very much enjoyed a delicate, well balanced taste of the dish. Hands down, the secret is in the incredible sauce: homemade mayo with bunch of fresh herbs, truly makes the difference. No doubt, this sophisticated dish can amaze anyone.

The most important thing I want to tell you, is don’t be afraid to cook something you think too complicated for you. Because cooking is definitely not a rocket since, and if I can cook, you can cook as well, maybe even better! You just have to give it a shot. I wish you courage and inspiration to climb new culinary heights!

Grilled Lobster Tails with Roasted Beets Salad

By voloshyna, February 10, 2014

• Total Time: 01h 20min
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• For the Lobster Salad: -
• green beans - 2 oz
• yellow and red beets - 2
• extra virgin olive oil - 4 tablespoons +1/2 tablespoon
• lobster tails - 1
• cayenne powder - to taste (optional)
• freshly ground black pepper to taste -
• red wine vinegar - 1/2 teaspoon
• garlic - 1/2 clove
• For the Dressing: -
• soft-boiled egg - 1
• Dijon mustard - 1 tablespoon
• red wine vinegar - 1 tablespoon
• grapeseed or vegetable oil - 3/4 cup
• kosher salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• chopped fresh dill - 1 tablespoon
• chopped fresh tarragon leaves - 1 tablespoon
• chopped chives - 1 tablespoon
• freshly squeezed lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
• kosher salt - to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Rub the beats with olive oil. Wrap the beets loosely in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl halfway with ice water. Add the beats to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to the ice water to cool them. Drain and place on a paper towel sheets.  Preheat the grill or the broiler. Cut lobster tails in half by splitting them down the middle. Loosen meat from tail, keeping it in the shell.  Coat the tails with an olive oil, season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Grill the lobster over indirect heat or broil them, until firm and opaque. To make the sauce put the egg, mustard and 1 tablespoon of wine vinegar in the bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. With the motor running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream to make an emulsified sauce. Add all the herbs, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. When the beats are done, remove them from the oven and let to cool. Then remove the skins and cut them into quarters. Pot beats in a bowl, add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil,  1/2 teaspoon of red wine vinegar and garlic. Toss gently to combine. To serve: Spoon some mayonnaise over the center of the plates. Arrange 4 beet quarters and beens over the mayo on each plate. Top with the lobster tails. Taste best with chilled Veuve  Clicquot Champagne.

Don’t know why it’s called Chicken Parmesan, because, as you would see, the prime cheese here is Mozzarella. But anyway I like this dish, because it’s an ideal comfort food to serve, when you want to have just a casual dinner with your friends. It isn’t a sophisticated dish, but Chicken Parmesan definitely that kind of food everybody love. To make it even more tasty, I suggest to cook your own Marinara sauce from scratch, the taste of the dish will surprise you. And please, please, please use only freshly grated cheese and very good olive oil!

Chicken Parmesan

By voloshyna, December 13, 2013

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• skinless boneless chicken breast halves - 6
• all-purpose flour - 1/3 cup
• eggs - 2
• water - 1 tablespoon
• dried breadcrumbs - 3/4 cup
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• extra-virgin olive oil - 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
• fresh buffalo mozzarella - 1 ball
• freshly grated parmesan - 1/2 cup
• marinara sauce - 2 cups, (homemade or store-bought)
• fresh basil leaves - 6-8, chopped

Instructions:

Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/2-inch thick. Mix flour with a pinch of salt and pinch of freshly ground black pepper; put into a shallow platter. In a small bowl lightly beat eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. In another bowl, mix the bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, then dip chicken in egg and dredge in the bread crumbs. Drizzle a big skillet with an olive oil, place over medium heat. Add the cutlets and cook until brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 F. Spoon the Marinara sauce in a medium baking dish, just to coat the bottom; transfer the chicken cutlets and pour in the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan, and fresh basil. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with a side of spaghetti.

That’s what I call quick meal. Usually I eat this soup during my fasting day and it works perfectly for me. Only 30 minutes of active time and you can treat yourself with low-calorie, healthy and nevertheless delicious soup. And what is your favorite healthy soup?

Creamy and Spicy Pea Soup with Roasted Fennel

By voloshyna, November 22, 2013

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• extra virgin olive oil - 3 tablespoons, divided
• fennel - 1
• chopped leek - 1 1/2 cups
• frozen peas - 2 cups, defrosted
• dry white wine - 1/2 cup
• low-sodium vegetable broth - 1 cup
• salt - 1 teaspoon or to taste
• Pollen Ranch Big Devil Spice or ground cayenne pepper - 1/4 teaspoon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Trim tough stalks and bottom stem from fennel bulb; cut into quarters. Toss fennel with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast fennel on a baking sheet until tender and golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in a heavy, medium sized pot over medium heat. Add chopped leek, cook stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes. Add defrosted peas. Pour in wine and bring to a boil. Add vegetable stock and cubed roasted fennel. Season with salt and Big Devil Spice or cayenne pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, simmer soup for 8-10 minutes. Turn the heat off, let to cool for a few minutes. Place the fennel mixture in a blender, blend until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat to warm.

What’s not to love about empanadas? That’s exactly that type of food I can eat in all day long. Mexican empanadas are a little bit remind me Ukrainian pierogies (not Polish). In Ukraine we make them with hundreds of stuffings, with cabbage, meat, potato, cottage cheese, apples, cherries and so on.

Most of the times we fry our “empanadas” on a skillet with enormous amount of sunflower oil, but this time I’ve decided to make a healthy twist and bake them in the oven. Plus usually we make a yeast dough for pierogies, but in this recipe I used a store bought pie crust. I’m not in Ukraine anymore, so can let myself to break the cooking tradition once in a while!

Liver and mushroom empanadas

By voloshyna, November 4, 2013

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• chicken liver - 1/2 pounds
• portobello mushrooms - 2 1/2 cups, chopped
• medium yellow onion - 1, finely chopped
• port wine - 1/4 cup
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• ground cumin - 1 teaspoon
• kosher salt - to taste
• extra virgin olive oil - 2 tablespoons
• refrigerated pie crusts - 1 (15-ounce) package
• egg - 1, lightly beaten
• For the yogurt dip: -
• low-fat Greek Yogurt - 1/2 cup
• mayonnaise - 3 tablespoons
• finely chopped parsley - 1/4 cup
• smoked paprika - 1/2 teaspoon
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium-sized skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the chicken liver, mushrooms and onion. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly so that the ingredients are well blended. Pour in port; season with salt, pepper and cumin, if desired, and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside and let the filling cool. Process the liver mixture in a food processor until almost uniform. Roll out the pie crust dough and cut out rounds using a 3-inch cutter or a cup. Put 1 tablespoon of filling on half of the round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds and liver mixture. Arrange empanadas on the baking sheet lined with a parchment paper. Brush the top of each empanada with the egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix all the ingredients for the sauce. Transfer the empanadas to a serving platter and serve with a yogurt dip.

One more nice autumn recipe for Chinet Baking Series. This Mushroom Lasagna is a perfect example of my favorite comfort food for a cold weather – hot, creamy and incredibly delicious. The perfect dish to celebrate autumn and a Veggie lifestyle.

Super Creamy Mushroom Lasagna

By voloshyna, October 23, 2013

• Total Time: 01h 25min
• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• For the filling: -
• portobello mushrooms - 1 lb, sliced crosswise ¼-inch thick
• fresh mushroom mix (like Mysopia - 1/2 lb, sliced
• medium red onion - 1, finely chopped
• extra virgin olive oil - 4 tablespoons, divided
• cream cheese - 1/2 cup
• kosher salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• dry Italian herbs - 2 teaspoons, divided
• For Béchamel sauce: -
• butter - 3 tablespoon
• all-purpose flour - 2 tablespoons
• milk - 2 cups
• salt - 1 teaspoon, or to taste
• freshly ground nutmeg - 1/4 teaspoon
• For the layers: -
• lasagna noodles - 12
• shredded mozzarella - 1 1/2 cup
• grated Parmesan - 3/4 cup

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened and lightly browned 10-15 min. Season to taste with salt, peppers and Italian herbs. Stir in cream chees. Cook until cheese is completely melted, remove from the heat. Now it's time for a Béchamel sauce. In a medium, heavy bottom sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a slightly golden color, about 7-8 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Slowly add milk to a butter mixture, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and ground nutmeg. Set aside. Cook the lasagna noodles in a salt boiling water, as described on the box. Drain and place in a single layer on dry paper towel sheets. Toss together the shredded Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in a small bowl. Cover the bottom of 7x11x2 Chinet baking pan with a 1/2 cup of Béchamel sauce. Arrange 4 noodles in a single layer on top of the sauce. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce evenly over the noodles, then sprinkle with a half of the mushroom mixture and ¾ cup of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layering of noodles, sauce, mushroom mixture, and cheese one more times. For the final layer, arrange the remaining 4 noodles on top and cover completely with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and 1 teaspoon of Italian herbs. Drizzle with an olive oil. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

This wonderful warm and crunchy appetizer is a perfect way to capture all the flavors of vivid bell peppers and golden aromatic olive oil. I can’t think of a better recipe to celebrate the last warm autumn days.

Enjoy this wonderful vegetarian appetizer!

Bruschetta with Roasted Bell Pepper and Cream Cheese

By voloshyna, October 8, 2013

• Total Time: 60 minutes
• Prep Time: 40-50 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• big and ripe bell peppers - 3 (orange, yellow, red)
• capers - 1-2 tablespoons
• red wine vinegar - 2 teaspoon
• extra virgin olive oil -
• garlic - 2-3 cloves, minced
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• cream cheese - 1 pack
• baguette - 1
• cilantro - 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Grease each pepper with an olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes. Using tongs, give the peppers a half turn, then place back in the oven for 20 minutes. The fully roasted peppers should be tender with a burned, wrinkled skin. If your peppers look like this you can remove them from the oven, if not, then bake for few more minutes. When they're done, remove baking sheet from oven. Set aside to cool. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove their skins and slice them open. Remove the seeds and membranes. Cut into a long stripes. Put them into a medium bowl; add 1/4-1/3 cup of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of wine vinegar. Add cappers and minced garlic, season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand and marinade for 1-2 hours. Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. You can toast the pieces of bread in the oven, until crunchy, or  brown them with an olive oil in a skillet. Spread cream cheese over the each slice of bread. Top with bell peppers and sprinkle with finely chopped cilantro.

A little bit of warm Italian-Style dish for the weekend lunch!

Warm Italian Potato Salad

By voloshyna, September 28, 2013

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• new red, purple and yellow potato, small - 1 lb
• green beans and yellow been - 2 cups
• hard-cooked eggs - 3, quartered
• cherry tomatoes - 2 cups, halved
• kalamata olives - 1/2 cup
• fresh basil leaves - 1 cup, finely chopped
• extra virgin olive oil - 1/3 cup, best quality
• red wine vinegar - 2 tablespoons or to taste
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Instructions:

Cook potato in simmering salted water until tender, 10-15 min. Drain; cool slightly. Cut the potatoes into quarters. In a boiling water blanch the beans, for 3-4 min. Drain; run in a cold water. In a big bowl add warm potato quarters, beans, halved tomatoes, eggs and kalamata olives.  In a small bowl combine olive oil, vinegar, salt and black pepper. Toss with the salad. Sprinkle with a chopped basil. Serve immediately.

Potato salad is a beloved tradition at many cookouts, but the classic variety can be tough on your healthy eating plans. Make this flavorful variant instead. Balsamic vinegar and dill give it a snap reminiscent of pickles, but if that’s not your herb of choice, it can easily be made with rosemary, basil or thyme instead for a potato salad you can enjoy time and again.

Forget traditional potato salads, heavy with mayo and salt. This dish highlights the natural beauty of perfectly cooked red potatoes with a light dressing of balsamic vinegar and dill so you can enjoy the potassium-packed potatoes as a healthful side dish as your next cookout. 

Zesty Dill Potato Salad

By voloshyna, July 9, 2013

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• medium red potatoes - 1 lb, scrubbed
• salt - to taste
• balsamic vinegar - 2 tablespoons
• white-wine vinegar - 1 tablespoon
• extra-virgin olive oil - 1 tablespoon
• red bell pepper - 1/4 cup, diced
• green bell pepper - 1/4 cup, diced
• chopped scallions - 1/4 cup, chopped
• chopped fresh dill - 1 tablespoon
• Freshly ground white or black pepper - to taste

Instructions:

Boil potatoes in salted water in a saucepan until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, then cut into approximately 1/2-inch slices. Place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle the potatoes with balsamic vinegar, white-wine vinegar and oil, tossing gently to coat. Add red and green bell peppers, scallions, dill and pepper and toss gently to mix. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve at room temperature.

Love this French dish because it’s very easy to cook, plus really delicious! The best part is the eggs in this recipe are fluffy and beautifully white and yellow, like the real mimosa flowers!

Asparagus Mimosa

By voloshyna, June 18, 2013

• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• hard-cooked eggs - 2
• asparagus - 1 lb
• extra virgin olive oil - 1/4 cup
• Dijon mustard - 2 teaspoons
• cider vinegar or lemon juice - 1 table spoon
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Instructions:

Bring a medium sauce pan to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it turns bright green. Transfer into colander and rinse with a cold water to stop cooking process and save this beautiful bright color. In a small bowl whisk olive oil, vinegar and mustard; season to taste with salt and pepper. Place asparagus into a plate, drizzle with a mustard dressing and top with grated egg.