by Sharm | Jun 20, 2016 | Decedent Desserts, Entertaining, Food & Drink, Recipes
This recipe was inspired as part of the Whole Foods Amabassador program I take part in. Every month there is a different theme and this month features grilling stone fruits. These grilled peaches adorned with the smokey sweet grilled cherries are super easy to make. Adding the salty goat cheese, sweet honey and crunchy almond mix from Sahale makes an amazing flavor and texture combination.
I made a large batch of these as I had my sister and her family visiting for the weekend.
These peaches served as dessert after an amazing balsamic and rosemary marinated grilled chicken we grilled out for dinner.
Impress your guests with this beautiful dessert. I wish to thank Whole Foods for supplying me a gift card to purchase the ingredients. Be Sure to check out the tips below from Whole Foods Market on the best way to grill up stone fruits.
10 Peaches
2 Pounds Fresh Cherries
1 Package 10.5 ounces Goat Cheese
1/2 cup nut of choice, chopped
Honey to taste
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
These peaches are so easy to make, but can be tricky if your peaches are not quite ripe enough as was the case for me. When picking them out they felt ripe, but as I got home to cut them open they would not pull away from the pit so I sliced off each half as close to the pit as I could and it worked fine. With all of the topping on the peaches you would never know there was not a pit indention.
Directions:
First thing you will want to set out the goat cheese to start softening. Then preheat your grill. Next wash and prepare your fruits
For Peaches:
Cut peaches in half and brush cut side with olive oil.
For Cherries
Pit Cherries. Using a cherry pitter is going to be the easiest way to do this but if you do not have one you can use a chopstick or straw to poke it through.
Heat grill and place cherries on a grill pan and peaches cut side down. Cook until peaches are slightly soft and have the caramelized grill marks. Give them a quick turn and grill on the other side for just a couple of minutes. Give the cherries a little stir a few times during cooking to get all sides cooked
While peaches are cooking, chop up your nut of choice. I had some single serving packages of honey almond Sahale nuts that needed used up so I used those but you can use any nut you like.
Once peaches and cherries are done. Remove from grill and place on serving platter. Using a medium size scoop, place a dollop of goat cheese on each peach. Top with a grilled cherry and chopped nut mix. Drizzle honey on top to taste.
This makes 20 halves so can serve 10 – 20. You can always cut the recipe in half for a smaller group.
Tips on using stone fruits.
• Why they’re cool: Peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots – and don’t forget cherries! These delicious fruits ripen in summertime, and can be used in creative ways in the kitchen and on the grill.
• Grilling need to know:
Pick out a stone fruit that is ripe and firm, so it doesn’t fall apart under heat. Check out this video.
•Use moderate heat to caramelize the fruit, leaving grill marks – this is called the Maillard reaction, and by caramelizing the fruit hundreds of new flavor compounds are created. Check out this video on
•To prevent sticking, clean the grill grate well, and wipe lightly with a paper towel and neutral-flavor oil such as canola or grapeseed oil.
Awesome recipe: Smoky Nectarine Punch
by Sharm | Apr 22, 2016 | Food & Drink, Recipes, Whole Foods Market
Have you heard of jackfruit and wondered, what the heck is a jackfruit?
As a Whole Foods Market Ambassador I am sent a monthly email with different themes and specials going on in the store every month along with some great recipes to share with all of you.
I also get to create my own recipes using the information from the email. This months theme is what is tasting best right now in April.
Below is a list from Whole Foods Market about what is best right now in their stores, featuring what is local and seasonally available.
Local honey and meats
Fennel
Rhubarb
Jackfruit
You will notice jackfruit on that list. I bought a fresh jackfruit a few years ago and really could not figure out how to eat it or if I even liked it. Jackfruit grows on trees and mostly in tropical regions. You can read more about the jackfruit here.
After this email, I checked out the link for the jackfruit recipes and noticed there is a canned version. Inspired that I could swap it out for canned chicken, I hot footed over to Whole Foods Market to get some canned jackfruit. I also found a refrigerated marinated kind from the Jackfruit Company and picked that up too.
Jackfruit shreds like canned chicken or pulled pork and can really take on any flavor you wish to incorporate with it. I use canned chicken all the time so I tried swapping it out in my favorite enchilada, white chili and chicken salad recipes and the results were delicious. Better yet I fooled my husband. After I had told him what it was he said he did not realize it wasn’t shredded chicken.
If you are looking to incorporate more vegetarian dishes in your diet or just want to have a meatless Monday check my recipe for Chipotle Jackfruit Lettuce Wraps.
I wish to thank Whole Foods for supplying me with a gift card to purchase the ingredients for the recipe.
Recipe Inspiration from Whole Foods Market
• Seared Lamb Shoulder Chops with Warm Chimichurri (For markets with local lamb)
• Homemade Honey Marshmallows (with local honey)
• Arugula and Fennel Salad
• Tilapia with Fennel and Tomato
• Rhubarb Cream Pie
• Pink Lady Apple, Fennel and Rhubarb Crumble with Buttermilk Sherbet
• 12 Jackfruit Recipes
by Sharm | Apr 22, 2016 | Food & Drink, Recipes, Whole Foods Market
If you have never had Jackfruit and you like shredded chicken or pulled pork, its time to swap out those items in your recipes and replace them with canned jackfruit. Jackfruit sheds like easily and resembles canned chicken. I have used it to create these tasty lettuce wraps.
Chipotle Jackfruit Lettuce Wraps
1 14 oz can Jacfruit, drained
1 10 oz package black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can corn, drained
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
4-5 canned chipotle peppers, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup mayo (may add more if mixture seems dry)
Chopped fresh cilantro to taste
6-8 Romaine lettuce leaves
Place jackfruit in large bowl and shred with fork. Add remaining ingredients. Mix together. Wash romaine leaves and lay on plate. Scoop filling evenly on leaves. Top with guacamole if desired.
Serves 2
by Sharm | Feb 20, 2016 | Entertaining, Food & Drink, Recipes, Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market makes entertaining easy so if you are planning a red carpet get together with friends to watch the Oscars on February 28, Whole Foods Market can help you make an award winning spread.
My favorite dishes to make when hosting an event with friends is an elegant charcuterie board and caprese salad with crostini toasts. These are finger friendly dishes that allow guest to mingle and visit while enjoying a selection of cured meats, cheeses and complimenting foods.
For the caprese salad Whole Foods Market has a great selection of tomatoes. I like using the plum variety as they are the perfect size.
Their fresh mozzarella is delicious and the house made crostini toasts make the perfect vessel for enjoying this appetizer.
Charcuterie boards are elegant looking and easy to customize using your favorite cured meats and cheeses. Whole Foods Market has a wide variety of cheese from all over the world and natural cured meats that are free from antibiotics, nitrates and MSG.
The in-house relish bar is has a wide variety of olives and pickled items to amp up the flavor of the board.
I will admit I really do not measure anything. So the recipes below are not really recipes but more of ideas of what I use to put things together. I usually just guesstimate on the amount I need for the crowd.
Caprese Salad with Crostini Toasts
Caprese Salad
Plum Tomatoes
Fresh Basil
Fresh Mozzarella
Directions:
Slice plum tomatoes into 1/4″ slices. Slice fresh mozzarella into 1/4″ slices. Rinse fresh basil and pluck leaves from stem. On a serving platter, layer a slice of the fresh mozzarella a basil leaf and then tomato. Follow this pattern until tray is filled to your liking. I sometimes drizzle a balsamic glaze over the top. This can be made by reducing balsamic vinegar in a pan on the stove top or there are companies that make it and it can be found in the isle with vinegars and dressing at the grocery store.
Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie Board
Assorted cured meats of choice
Assorted cheeses of choice
Assorted olives or pickled vegetables
Grapes or apple slices
Assorted crackers
This can be arranged however you like. Sometimes I will use platters and serving dishes as pictured. I also have a large wood cutting board that I will sometimes arrange the ingredients on.
Below are some tips and recipes from Whole Foods Market that you can use to put together a red carpet worthy spread while not breaking the bank! I wish to thank Whole Foods Market for supplying me a gift card to purchase the ingredients.
BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINING ON AN INDIE BUDGET
Awards season is even better when you can throw a blockbuster party on an indie budget. Here are a few insider tips from Whole Foods Market experts for a budget-friendly, buzzworthy viewing party:
• Think like craft service –Not only is it easier and more fun to graze on small bites throughout the show, but swapping an entrée for heavy appetizers can save a few bucks. Let Whole Foods Market’s prepared foods team do the cooking with Sriracha chicken wontons or wings. Our meat department also has ready-to-cook, crowd-pleasing meatballs from Nature’s Rancher, raised with no added growth hormones and no antibiotics, ever.
• Have one big star – Just like a red carpet, if your buffet has one big star, the whole scene feels fancy. There’s no bigger star than the King of Cheeses, Parmigiano Reggiano. This very special Italian cheese is known for its intensely complex, nutty, sweet, grassy, creamy flavor. Whole Foods Market only offers Parm that’s been aged a full 24 months, which means this bold flavor will steal the show in the best way.
• Keep them entertained – When the show lulls, have an activity to keep things lively, like a blind wine tasting. This is a fun exercise for novice and expert wine drinkers alike, and Whole Foods Market’s Criterion wines make it easy to do. This collection is intended to be classic, benchmark examples of wine styles from important wine regions around the world. Simply choose 3 varietals from Criterion’s roster to serve as the standard, and pair it against a popular bottle of the same variety (for a total of 6 bottles). Cover them both with paper bags and have guests compare. For extra points, create an awards ballot of your own to choose a winning wine.
• Best actor goes to citrus! – Vibrant, sweet and tangy citrus is a true chameleon when it comes to entertaining. Abundant bowls of clementines serves as a centerpiece and a snack or dessert, so no need to spend extra on flowers. Citrus also makes water a party-worthy beverage. Slice rings to put in a clear drink dispenser, or add small slices and wedges to individual glasses. Skip the fancy sparkling waters or juices with this seasonal star.
RECIPES
· Blue Cheese Herb Popcorn
· Herbed Garlic Parmigiano Reggiano Popcorn
· Sweet and Smoky Popcorn and Nut Mix
· Brie Toasts With Spiced Sundried Tomato Compote
by Sharm | Jan 24, 2016 | Food & Drink, Recipes, Whole Foods Market
Whether you are one who makes New Year’s Resolutions or not, Whole Foods Market can get your 2016 off to a tasty fresh start.
Mine is to eat more greens and I love Whole Foods Market Fig Balsamic Dressing and their selection of fresh greens to make a variety of salads.
Whole Foods Fig Balsamic Dressing
Whole Foods Market offers a variety of dressing to make any salad please your palate.
This dressing is the perfect accompaniment to my Roasted Butternut Squash Salad. This salad includes my maple glazed walnuts. These candied walnuts are made with just pure maple syrup with a sprinkle sea salt and taste as decadent as those higher calorie ones loaded with sugar!
If you hosting a super bowl party, Whole Foods Market has everything you need to put on a great spread. Pick up some pre made salsas, guacamole and their addictive house made tortilla chips that are sure to please everybody without any of the work!
If you are looking to be a little healthier and want to take a stab at the up and coming food trend of eating raw, Whole Foods Market website has a variety of recipes.
Below are some tips and recipes from Whole Foods Market to make your 2016 the tastiest it can be!
I’ve also included my Roasted Butternut Squash Salad recipe and wish to thank Whole Foods for supplying me with a gift card to purchase the ingredients.
The prepared foods in the produce section should include pre packaged butternut squash cut and ready to use. Just open the package and toss with a little olive oil and salt and pepper then roast in oven.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
1 package pre washed spinach or greens of choice
1 pre cut package butternut squash
Goat cheese to taste
Maple Glazed Walnuts to taste
Red onion to taste
Dried cherries or cranberries to taste
Whole Foods Market Fig Balsamic dressing to taste
Toss pre cut squash with salt and pepper and olive oil. Roast at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.
Combine greens on a plate. Top with remaining ingredients. This should make two large entree salads or four side salads.
Whole Foods Market tips, recipes and guide to make your 2016 delicious!
FRESH START FOODS:
Sometimes, the most daunting part about deciding to make a “fresh start” when it comes to food is knowing where to begin and what to shop for. Whole Foods Market makes is super easy, especially if you shop the store looking for our Start Healthy signs on foods we know are good tasting and good for you. Below are some other pointers on making that fresh start:
• EAT WHOLE FOODS – Keep an eye out for whole, fresh, natural, organic, local, seasonal, unrefined and unprocessed foods – at Whole Foods Market, our grocery department uses the above food attributes as the cornerstone of our offerings, making eating whole food effortless.
• HEALTHY FATS – Avocados, seeds and nuts are great sources of healthy fats and keep you full for hours.
• STOCK A HEALTHIER PANTRY – We know how easy it is to grab whatever you have at home to satisfy a snack craving. Make it a healthy no-brainer next time by keeping healthy, unprocessed foods at the ready. Start your year on a healthy path with these clean and delicious products, many of which are vegan and gluten-free! Please
These products are the top 10 new favorites.
1. 365 Everyday Value® Woven Wheats® Baked Crackers – Made with just whole wheat and salt!
2. 365 Everyday Value® Organic Pasta Sauce – Made with Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil; Organic Diced Tomatoes and no added sugar.
3. 365 Everyday Value® Sedona Sunset Fruit & Seed Mix Limited Edition – Sunflower kernels, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, apple fruit drops.
4. 365 Everyday Value® Freeze Dried Fruits – Available in a variety of all-fruit flavors: Raspberries, Blueberries, Bananas, Granny Smith Apple, Mango, Strawberry, Pineapples
5. 365 Everyday Value® Organic Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing – Found in the refrigerated section – not heat-treated. You may also like the following:
• 365 Everyday Value® Organic Creamy Caesar Dressing
• 365 Everyday Value® Organic Buttermilk Dressing
• 365 Everyday Value® Organic Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
• 365 Everyday Value® Organic Sweet Carrot Ginger Miso Dressing
• 365 Everyday Value® Balsamic Vinaigrette
6. Whole Foods Market™ Organic 0% Plain Low-fat Greek Yogurt – No added flavoring.
7. 365 Everyday Value® Organic Quinoa with Vegetables – Organic white quinoa, zucchini, sweet potato and red quinoa. These are ready in a steamable bag within 5 minutes!
8. Engine 2 Plant-Strong® Organic Sprouted Ancient Grains Tortilla – Made solely from organic sprouted grains: Millet, Barley, Quinoa, Lentils and more. That means no flour!
9. Engine 2 Plant-Strong® Poblano Black Bean Burgers – Wholesome, non-GMO ingredients shine in these southwestern-style burgers that are gluten-free and free of cholesterol and saturated fats.
10. Engine 2 Plant-Strong® Traditional Hummus – Creamy and delicious, low-fat, low-sodium with no added oils!
RECIPES
• Beet & Mint Slaw
• Veggie & Tofu Scramble
• Black Bean Salad with Avocado-Lime Dressing
RAW FOODS:
Eating raw means eating closer to nature – something we think we can all get behind in our region! Raw means foods that are both uncooked and unprocessed. Any while that might not sound too exciting, eating raw can be incredibly delicious while being well-balanced in nutrients.
Easy to find raw foods include organic fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds and nuts, beans, dried fruit, fresh lettuce or seaweed, seasonings and natural sweeteners – this means almost endless possibilities when it comes to meal creation!
Below are some other tips on eating raw in 2016:
• EDUCATE YOURSELF – Being prepared and knowing what you’re looking for before you walk into the store will make eating raw easier. Better yet, ask any of the experts in Whole Foods Market and we’d be happy to show you around and help you pick out your best raw!
• EAT LOTS OF GREENS AND VEGGIES – Not only do greens and veggies contain the minerals your body needs, they also provide a great base for experimenting with recipes and meal planning when going raw
• LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE – If making a commitment to eat raw, do your body even better by making sure you get enough sleep, drink plenty of water and exercise daily. Living a healthy life in every sense of the word will make 2016 the best yet!
RECIPES:
• Raw Vegetable ‘Pasta’ with Tomatoes and Herbs
• Raw Berry Crisp
• Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho
THINKING AHEAD TO BIG GAME:
With The Big Game happening on February 7th, let Whole Foods Market do the heavy lifting. As you gear up, remember you can be ready to host your fans in no time:
• PREPARED FOODS – From wings to salsas and house-made guacamoles infused with Sriracha, chiles and more, we’ve got you covered when it comes to “grab and go” game-day favorites in our Prepared Foods section.
• INSTACART – depending on where you live, Instacart’s delivery on demand is the ultimate in stress-free party hosting!
Below are some of our favorite game day recipes if you’re feeling a little bit more culinary:
RECIPES:
• Killer Artichoke Dip
• Herb Roasted Sweet Potato Skins
• Roll Your Own Burritos
• Black and Blue Veggie Nachos
by Sharm | Dec 17, 2015 | Food & Drink, Recipes
These Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies will have your friends begging for the recipe.
I have to admit I love to bake and am a Whole Foods Market junkie. I am thrilled to be working with them this month to share some of their baking tips, holiday time saving tips and my recipe for The Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookie.
This is the perfect time of year to stock up on Whole Foods Market Pantry Staples. The holidays mean a last minute scramble to whip up a meal or dessert for a holiday gathering or unannounced out-of-town guests. Having the Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value® pantry staples like flour, sugar, salt, butter, vanilla and eggs on hand also makes it easy for putting together DIY gift and making treats to give a s gifts or take to gatherings.
My favorite homemade gift to give or treat to take or serve at a gathering is my Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies.
This makes 5 dozen medium sized cookies. The secret ingredient is French sea salt sprinkled on top of each cookie right before baking. I have always gotten fluer de sel sea salt in the bulk section at a local health food store close to where I used to live.
The Whole Foods bulk section only had Sel Gris which comes from the same solar evaporation salt pans as fleur de sel but is harvested differently; it is allowed to come into contact with the bottom of the salt pan before being raked, hence its gray color.
If you can’t find the French sea salt, any sea salt will work. If it is course, just crush it a bit while pinching your fingers as you sprinkle it over the top of the cookies. Adding the sea salt intensifies the salty sweet combination we all love! This recipe makes 5 dozen cookies.
Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
4 sticks of butter
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 12 ounce packages of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon French sea salt (reserved)
Heat oven to 375 degrees
In large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture a cup at time to the creamed butter mixture. Mix well after each addition of flour. Batter will be stiff after all the flour is added. Add chocolate chips and mix well.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Using medium cookie scoop, place 12 cookies on baking sheet and sprinkle the tops with a pinch of reserved sea salt.
Bake 9-11 minutes.
Remove from oven and let set 5 minute before removing from cookie sheet.
Be sure to check out Whole Foods Market Top 10 Baking Tips here
Recipes:
· Classic Sugar Cookies
· Maple and Almond Butter Cookies
· Molasses Gingerbread Cookies
Top 10 Holiday Time Savers:
· Frozen Pie Crust – the crust is usually one of the hardest parts of pie assembly. Grab a pre-made crust so you can focus on the delicious filling and baking!
· Mirepoix & Pre-Cut Squash and Garlic – Mirepoix is the perfect “grab and go” item for your Crock Pot. And pre-cut squash and garlic will save you precious minuets of prep time in the kitchen
· Stuffing Bags – made-in-house stuffing bags from our bakery give you the taste of homemade stuffing without the time commitment.
· Frozen Rice in a Bag – makes rice cooking easy and worry-free, especially if you don’t have a rice cooker
· Frozen Rolls – fresh from the bakery department and frozen, so you can break these out and throw them in the oven when the dinner menu calls for rolls!
· Stuffed Cornish Game Hens – not only is all the work already done for you, but these hens are a wonderful alternative to turkey or ham for your holiday table
· Pre-made Appetizers – a wide variety of appetizers that are already plated and ready to serve can make attending a party while bringing something to share both easy and delicious
· Cocktail Shrimp Platters – again, ready to serve and be enjoyed!
· Instacart – depending on where you live, Instacart’s delivery on demand is the ultimate in stress-free shopping during the holidays
· Holiday Pre-order – shop online ahead of time and pre-order your turkey, side dishes, appetizers and even full heat-and-serve meals for pickup at your local Whole Foods market!
Whole Foods also has live trees and wreaths. For every tree sold one gets planted! I also wish to thank Whole Foods Market for supplying me with a gift card to purchase the ingredients for the cookies.
