On Grilling: Lessons from a Chef

Yesterday was my husband's birthday.

Inspired by his recent interest in grilling, FoodTV, and Bobby Flay, I hired a personal chef to cater a surprise birthday BBQ and give him a private, at-home grilling lesson.

Armed with a small bag of goodies from Whole Foods, Chef Oliver Friendly of Eat  and Smile foods (pictured) created a fabulous meal, made grilling appear easy and helped me host a Birthday evening to remember.

Meat was the star attraction at this BBQ and the menu did not disappoint. Hamburgers, strip steak and seared tuna were prepared rare, served alongside perfectly grilled red bliss potatoes, asparagus and zucchini.

We learned so much from Chef Oliver! Here a few tips about basic grilling technique that are worth noting:

- Don't forget the salt! Salt is a key player in seasoning meat and veggies. When salting before you grill, the salt can create a caramelized coating over the meat (but you have to use A LOT because it will run off into the coals with the juice and fat). When you salt after, you get more flavor because the salt gets carried into the meat as the juices redistribute.

- When grilling potatoes, boil them first in salted water. Once again, don't be afraid to use A LOT of salt (~1 Tbsp) to get maximum flavor. The salt gets into the potato as it cooks with the water. Boil until fork tender and then finish on the grill!

- When making homemade burgers, the trick is to properly mix the meat and seasonings with your hands! The reason why store bought burgers fall apart when they are flipped is because they are mechanically pressed. Gently roll into patties and place a thumb print in the center to avoid the "balloon" effect.

- The secret to perfect steak and burgers? Resist the urge to frequently flip! Sear on the hottest area of your grill until halfway cooked, and then flip over one time to finish.

- Let meat rest for half its cooking time to seal in juices and keep it from getting dry.

- Use canola oil -- not olive oil -- for seasoning and marinades. The oil is necessary to evenly distribute heat around the food, and olive oil can't handle the high temps of grilling.

I hope you find these tips helpful at your next backyard barbecue. Please visit Oliver's website to learn more about him and his catering and personal chef services!

Happy Grilling!

On Grilling: The Gadgets Issue

It's grilling season and 4th of July is right around the corner!

My next few posts will be dedicated to fresh, healthy menu ideas for the backyard (or stove-top) grill.

Being the self-professed "Queen of the One-Line Recipe" I promise to deliver ideas you can whip up with ease while sipping a mojito or chasing your 2-year old.

However, before we get started, let's make sure you have on-hand some basic grilling gadgets.

These include:

Tongs: 90% of grilling is done with tongs. Get a pair of heavy duty, stainless steel tongs with a scalloped or oval tip for easily flipping meaty steaks, sausages or veggies. If using a charcoal or smoker grill, you'll also need a set of heavy iron tongs for moving coals and picking up hot grates.

Spatula: a large blade, bent handled spatula. You'll need one that can get under food easily and lift it away from the grate without tearing. Silicone spatulas clean up easily and can be used on grills as well as sauté pans.

Skewers: get the long metal skewers with a flat blade design so food won't turn on the skewer when you flip them over. You can also get bamboo skewers; they are a cheaper option but are not re-usable.

Brushes: you'll want two different types of brushes; one for oiling the grate and another for basting and saucing your food with marinade. Look for a 15-inch angled handle brush; silicone are best for heat resistance and clean up.

Wire brush: you'll need a wire brush for clean-up after grilling. Brass bristles are better than steel because they're softer and won't damage cooking grates. Look for a brush with a flat scraper at the top of the brush for cooked-on residue and a long handle makes for easier use. Cheap ones work just as good as expensive ones!

Instant-read Thermometer: the difference between a delicious meal and an evening spent driving the porcelain bus can be only a few degrees. Look for the analog-type thermometer with a large and easy-to-read face. Cook meats to safe internal temperatures. Not sure? Let the USDA help.

Mitts: get yourself some fireproof grilling mitts that allow you to pick up flaming hot metal cooking equipment without catching fire.

Get ready because tomorrow we start grillin'!

The Costco Phenomenom

Okay, so it happens to everyone at some point, right? You get caught up in the concept of bulk shopping and you come home with 3 pounds of peaches.

Sound familiar?

It happened to me this past weekend...alone in Costco, slightly hungry, and dizzy with possibility. In my cart...more grapes, hummus, sweet red peppers and french bread than a family of 3 could possibly consume. And let's not forget the peaches. I got A LOT of peaches.

Hence, I celebrate peaches below the only way I know how -- healthy and delicious RECIPES! Feel free to contribute to the list by adding your own favorite recipe! I'll let you know how mine turn out.

Breakfast:
Peach-Mango Smoothie
Peach Pie Smoothie
Slice and toss with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, drizzle honey
Chop and add to Steel Cut Irish Oats with a dash of cream

Lunch/Dinner:
Savory Peach Chicken
Spinach Salad with Peaches and Pecans
Grilled Tilapia with Peach BBQ Sauce
Roasted Turkey Breast with Peach Rosemary Glaze
Peach Gnocchi
Spiced Peach Chutney

Dessert:
Peach Ice Cream
Peach Berry Cobbler
Peach Parfait
Peach Muffins

Life is a bag of peaches. Be the juicy one.


Recipes courtesy of: the vegan visitor, marthastewart.com, foodTV.com, allrecipes.com and 101cookbooks.

Beans, beans, good for your heart...

Okay, so I love beans. Probably too much. I'm always on the lookout for a new recipe and this one rocks. Greens, beans, cheese and nuts...what more could you want?

Recipe courtesy of one of my favorite websites, www.101cookbooks.com.

Giant Black Bean Salad

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 small jalapeño, seeded, de-viened and chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 small garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 -3 big handfuls baby arugula (or other salad greens), well washed and dried
3 cups cooked black beans (rinsed, canned are fine)
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Start by making the dressing. I use an immersion blender - but a blender or food processor will work just as well. Combine the lime juice, vinegar, honey, jalapeño, salt, garlic and mustard and puree. Add the olive oil and puree until everything comes together. Taste and adjust with more salt, honey, or lime juice if needed. Set aside until you are ready to serve the salad.
Just before you are ready to serve the salad gently toss the arugula with a bit of the dressing. Arrange it on a platter. Now toss the beans and most of the almonds with a generous splash of the dressing. Arrange the beans on top of the arugula and finish by sprinkling with the remaining almonds and the crumbled feta cheese.
Serves 4 - 6.

3-Bean Salad with Quinoa

I love a recipe that uses Quinoa, a high protein, high fiber whole grain. Try this one for dinner tonight!

Clients: a 1 cup serving would count as 2 carbs at dinner or lunch!

Three-Bean Salad with Quinoa

Substitute any of the three beans with what you can get on sale, from your garden or fresh from the Farmer's market. Canned garbanzos, pintos or black beans are fine, too!

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces, cooked and rinsed in cold water
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1 (15-ounce) can Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Italian Dressing
1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Method

Rinse quinoa under cold running water and drain. Bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a small pot. Stir quinoa and a pinch of salt into water. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender and liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and let cool. Put cooled quinoa, green beans, edamame, peppers, kidney beans, dressing, tarragon, salt and pepper into a large bowl and toss well. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 1 cup): 270 calories, 8g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 460mg sodium, 33g total carbohydrate (8g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 17g protein