Patriotic Night and Light Summer Cooking

Tami and Addie Reid demonstrated 4th of July dessert ideas. See Tami and Addison Reid or Karen Matsen for recipies or check out Pinterest

Talk on Patriotism by Brother Matsen

Light Summer Cooking demonstrated by Sandy (Recipies and directions below)

Website links: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/20-ways-to-grill-fruits-amp-veggies/?utm_source=MyVegetarianTimes&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=MyVegetarianTimes http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/20-ways-to-grill-fruits-amp-veggies/?utm_source=MyVegetarianTimes&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=MyVegetarianTimes Chocolate mini muffin I used a Veggie grill pan. These are found in the barbeque section at any store. Zucchini with Parmesan and Pine Nuts Halve 4 small zucchini; coat with cooking spray, and grill 15 minutes. Top with 1 1/2 oz. shaved Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, and 2 Tbs. toasted pine nuts. Grilled Insalata Caprese - Serves 4 30 minutes or fewer Grilling tomatoes intensifies their flavor and takes a traditional Italian starter to the next level. • Vegetable oil, for brushing grill • 2 large red tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices • 2 large yellow tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices • 2 tsp. garlic oil, plus more for brushing tomatoes • 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, halved, each half thinly sliced • 12 leaves fresh basil 1. Brush grill grates with oil, and preheat grill to medium. 2. Brush tomato slices with garlic oil, season with salt and pepper (if desired), and place on grill. Cook 8 minutes, turning once, or until tomato slices are juicy and grill-marked. 3. Arrange tomato and mozzarella in alternating pattern on serving plate. Drizzle with 2 tsp. garlic oil, and top with basil leaves. Thai-Style Grilled Corn with Roasted Peanuts Serves 4 30 minutes or fewer The natural sugars in fresh corn ooze out to caramelize and crisp the kernels. Some dry-roasted peanuts are made with gelatin, so read the label before you buy. • Vegetable oil, for brushing grill • 2 Tbs. unsweetened, reduced-fat coconut milk • 1 tsp. light brown sugar • 1 ½ tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce • 1 ½ tsp. lime juice • 1 tsp. grated lime zest • ¼ tsp. chile-garlic sauce, such as sambal oelek • ¼ cup lightly salted, dry-roasted peanuts • 4 medium ears fresh corn, husked 1. Brush grill grates with oil, and preheat grill to medium. 2. Whisk together coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, lime zest, and chile-garlic sauce in bowl. 3. Pulse peanuts in food processor until finely ground. Transfer to large plate. 4. Place corn on grill, and cook 8 minutes, or until browned and lightly charred in spots, turning occasionally. Brush with half of coconut milk mixture, and grill 2 minutes more. 5. Transfer to platter. Brush with remaining coconut milk mixture, then roll in peanuts. Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip 7 ounces Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise 2 teaspoons dried dill 1/4 teaspoon granulated onion 1/4 teaspoon beau monde seasoning Stir all ingredients together. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Serve with fresh vegetables. Banana Bread Green Monster (serves two…or one very thirsty lady) • 1 ripe banana, frozen (peel before freezing!) • 1 C milk • 2 handfuls spinach leaves (I use fresh) • 1/4 C walnuts • 1/4 C oats • sprinkle of cinnamon My first though upon making this was, “how the heck have I never thought of this before?!” So delicious! Combine the ingredients in your blender, light stuff on bottom (spinach, oats, cinnamon, walnuts), heavy stuff on top (banana–and ice, if you use it), and pour the milk over the top. Blend the heck out of it until it’s nice and smooth. Brain health blueberry dream • 1 cup of unsweetened frozen blueberries, thawed • 1 small banana • 1 tbsp of cold-pressed flaxseed oil Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Piña-Vocado vegan, serves two 1 1/3 cups orange juice 1 1/4 cups frozen pineapple 1/2 avocado 1 small frozen banana (or fresh) 1/2 cup ice (I like coconut water ice cubes for this recipe) Optional Add-in's.. 1/2 lime, squeezed over top smoothie, or blended right into it 1 Tbsp coconut milk or 2 tsp unsweetened coconut flakes dash of cayenne garnish: avocado slices Blend. Serve. Sip. Smile. Berry-Cado Smoothie vegan, makes 2 servings 1 1/4 cups orange juice 1/2 avocado 3/4 cup frozen blueberries 1/2 cup frozen raspberries (or strawberries) 1 kiwi, peeled 1/2 – 1 banana, frozen pref’d 1/2 cup ice garnish: avocado slice Blend. Pour. Sip. Smile. Chicken Marinades: Unbelievable Chicken Submitted by: BLIVENGOOD grilled chicken grilled chicken Number of Servings: 6 Ingredients 1/4 c. cider vinegar 3 T coarse ground mustard 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 lime, juiced 1/2 lemon, juiced 1/2 c. brown sugar 1 1/2 t salt 1/4 t black pepper 6 T olive oil 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts Directions: In large bowl, mix in first 8 ingredients. Whisk in olive oil. Place chicken in mixture and marinate 8 hours or overnight. Preheat grill. Lightly oil grill grate. Place chicken on grill and cook 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. Discard marinade. Greek Yogurt Chicken Submitted by: ZAZZABEN Grilled chicken breast with yogurt marinade Grilled chicken breast with yogurt marinade Minutes to Prepare: 10 Minutes to Cook: 15 Number of Servings: 4 Ingredients 1 cup plain yogurt 2 cloves garlic, minced fine 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast Directions Mix the first 3 ingredients together, Marinade the chicken in it for at least 10 minutes. Chicken can be cubed and placed on skewers. Cook on pre-heated grill, turning occasionally until cooked through. Grill should be sprayed with no-stick spray prior to cooking. Number of Servings: 4 Soda and Soy Sauce Italian Dressing Lighten-up secrets: 20 tips to make any dish healthier When it comes to making food delicious and light, our test kitchens professionals have learned all the tricks. Here, they share some of their tried-and-true techniques for making dishes more nutritious without sacrificing an ounce of flavor. 1. Study the recipe. Closely examine the original to see where changes can be made. "You can't just wing it, no matter how familiar you are with the recipe," says Test Kitchens Professional Kathryn Conrad. "Look at each ingredient to see where you can take away, add, or substitute." 2. Reference lightened versions of similar recipes before starting. Check out past issues of Cooking Light, cookbooks, or visit CookingLight.com. 3. Limit sodium. Try the recipe with half the recommended sodium. 4. Reduce portion sizes. When plating, start with a smaller amount and see if that satisfies you. 5. Give yourself some slack. "We try different versions of the same recipe three or four times," says Test Kitchens Professional Jan Moon. "Recipes are a science; you may need a few attempts to get it just right." 6. Choose a flavorful cheese. "Use a variety with more flavor, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano," says Assistant Food Editor Kathy Kitchens Downie, R.D. "The stronger the flavor, the less you have to use." 7. Sprinkle cheese, chocolate, or nuts on top rather than mixing into batters. As toppings, they deliver concentrated flavor. 8. Reduce sugar-crumb toppings. Half the amount is often enough. 9. Substitute panko, extra crisp Japanese breadcrumbs, for ordinary bread or cracker crumbs. Doing so can reduce the crust's fat, calories, and sodium by half. 10. Think beyond fat-free. Sometimes no-fat foods don't satisfy. "To account for this, we often use a blend of reduced-fat and fat-free varieties," says Vanessa Johnson, Test Kitchens director. 11. Use egg substitute in recipes that call for more than one egg. A quarter cup equals one egg, cutting 5 grams of fat and 213 milligrams of cholesterol from your recipe. 12. Increase low-calorie ingredients. For example, add extra vegetables to casseroles and fruits to breads, muffins, or snack cakes. This will increase the yield of your recipe without adding fat. 13. Finely chop nuts, bacon, olives, and other high-fat or high-sodium ingredients. They will distribute more evenly, allowing you to use less without sacrificing taste. 14. Opt for leaner meats, such as center-cut or loin meats and skinless, white-meat poultry. "For example, a slice of center-cut bacon has slightly less sodium and fat than regular cured bacon," Downie says. In some cases, pork can be a leaner option than chicken. 15. Add zing with citrus. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice can help brighten the flavors of veggies and meats without added sodium. 16. Use nonstick pans and cooking spray in place of oil or butter. 17. When you need oil, use canola, which has nearly half the saturated fat and more healthful, unsaturated fat than other oils. 18. Opt for low-sodium broths and no-salt-added tomatoes; always rinse canned beans in a strainer under cold water, which cuts sodium by up to 40 percent. 19. Puree vegetables to add body. For example, mash some of the beans in a chili or the potatoes in a chowder. 20. Trade 1 percent milk for whole, or half-and-half for heavy cream, in creamy soups.