CARMENERE ROASTED BEEF BRISKET

Today being very warm and humid was not the ideal day to have additional heat from my 4 hour brisket.  Oh' well!  Who cares...I did it anyway!  Having a healthy meal and leftovers for the week far out ways the sweaty, stinky mess I am right now:)  I always try to do a roast of some sort once a week to set us up with healthful, quick leftovers for the remainder of the week.  The key to success in our household is ALWAYS having a plan. I am a planner and do not function well without.  It is unnecessary stress in my eyes. I will NEVER put myself in the predicament that I am so hungry, I just had to fill the gap with a bunch of crap!  Ask anyone who knows me...NEVER.  I make lists, menu's, and recipes.  For me this works.  I encourage you to take the time and find what works for you and your family.  The end result is well worth your time invested.  This is a wholesome meal your entire family will love....not too mention how good it leaves your house smelling!

CARMENERE ROASTED BEEF BRISKET


Ingredients


4 large garlic cloves, smashed

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles striped from the stem and chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (4 pound) beef brisket, first-cut
• Coarsely ground black pepper
• 4 large carrots, cut in 3-inch chunks
• 3 celery stalks, cut in 3-inch chunks
• 4 large red onions, halved
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, hand-crushed
• 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 bay leaves

• Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

On a cutting board, mash the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt together with the flat-side of a knife into a paste. Add the rosemary and continue to mash until incorporated. Put the garlic-rosemary paste in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil; stir to combine.

Season both sides of the brisket with a fair amount of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Place a large roasting pan or dutch oven over medium-high flame and coat with the remaining olive oil. Put the brisket in the roasting pan and sear to form a nice brown crust on both sides. Lay the vegetables all around the brisket and pour the rosemary paste over the whole thing. Add the wine and tomatoes; toss in the parsley and bay leaves. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 3 to 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender.

Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Scoop the vegetables out of the roasting pan and onto a platter, cover to keep warm. Pour out some of the excess fat, and put the roasting pan with the pan juices on the stove over medium-high heat. Boil and stir for 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced by 1/2. 

I served my brisket and veggies with a side of cauliflower mash.  

ENJOY!  Eat Well & Be Happy!

FUDGIE BABIES

Happy summer weekend to all my Healthy Honey's!  I am going to keep this short and sweet because we are enjoying yet another beautiful summer night under the stars.  Gearing up to have a camp fire.  I have my two fur babies at my feet waiting for me to get back outside:)
This recipe comes from Melissa at "Clothes Make The Girl."  These are a great TREAT.  When I say treat...I mean treat.  It is a healthier option for a treat, but still candy (because of the natural occurring sugars), and NOT an everyday food!  We save treats like these for special occasions and try our darnedest to limit ourselves to 1 or 2 fudgies....it doesn't always work, but we try:)

FUDGIE BABIES

Ingredients:
1 c whole pecans
1 1/3 cups pitted dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
to garnish: coarse sea salt, unsweetened shredded coconut (toasted or untoasted)

Directions:
1. Place dates, vanilla, and cocoa powder in the bowl of a food processor. Process on high until the mixture forms a paste. There’s a magic moment when it transforms from disparate ingredients into something smooth, glossy, and tempting.

2. Add the pecans and process until the pecans are roughly chopped. You do not want pecan dust.

3. Wet your hands with water and shake off the excess, then roll the “dough” into 1-inch balls. Set on a baking sheet.

4. Garnish!
Sea salt: Put a few tablespoons of sea salt on a plate and dip the top of the fudge bombs into the salt. You want just 3-4 grains to stick to the top.

Coconut: Put a few tablespoons of shredded coconut on a plate and roll the fudge ball in the coconut, pressing it into the sides of the ball with your hands. (To toast coconut, spread it on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 350 for 5-15 minutes. Check it every 5 minutes to stir and make sure it’s not burning.)

5. Place fudgie babies in fridge for 30-60 minutes to firm up, then eat. 

ENJOY!  Eat Well & Be Happy!

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH PEACH BBQ SAUCE

I hope everyone had an awesome 4th of July celebration!  We had 4 days of absolute perfect weather here.  I am IN LOVE with summer!  I can confidently say, summer would NEVER get old to me.  Over our 4 day weekend we were on the go sun-up to sun-down and covered some major ground.  For those of you that know me, you know I love to go, go, go and be kept busy.  There were only 2 times that my husband asked if we could just relax for a bit...haha.  We worked on our vegetable garden (it's looking awesome), went to the beach, had several campfires, cooked ALOT, ran each day, went to the Madison Farmer's Market, grocery shopped at Willy St. Co-op, had lunch at Graze, went to dinner at a friends (we had the most amazing Asian salmon by my friend Cathy), went boating with more friends, and hosted a July 4th dinner and fireworks for our family.  Phew!  By midnight on July 4th, even I was ready to drop....!  We kept most of our meals over the weekend traditional summer meals.  Lots of BBQ-ing and fresh, clean, crisp, foods.  I will not do store bought BBQ sauce.  There are usually too many "dirty" ingredients in it and I prefer to control my own sodium and sugars.  This recipe is a Bon appetit ' inspiration from Gwyneth Paltrow.  It was incredible and a must try yet this summer:)

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH PEACH BBQ SAUCE

Ingredients

• -1 cup chopped peeled fresh peaches or 9-10 ounces frozen sliced peaches, thawed, chopped
• -1/2 cup ketchup (home made or "clean" store bought)
• -2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• -2 garlic cloves, minced
• -1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo or 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
• -Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• -1 organic chicken quartered
• -coconut oil

Instructions

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until peaches are very soft and flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let cool. Pour peach mixture into a blender and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place half the sauce in a medium bowl; add the chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or cover and chill for up to 8 hours, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until browned and almost cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side (longer depending on thickness). Brush on all sides with reserved sauce; grill until glazed and cooked through, 1-2 minutes per side.  Serve remaining sauce alongside.

ENJOY!  Eat Well & Be Happy!

STRAWBERRY PIE LARA BAR

As I mentioned in my earlier post, we picked strawberries at Meuer Farms in Brothertown, WI.  A darling little place that overlooks Lake Winnebago.  They harvest 5 different varieties of strawberries.  Each variety serves it's purpose for canning, freezing, eating fresh, ect.  We picked two different varieties.  One for fresh eating and one for freezing.  All berries are free of herbicides and pesticides.  The farm offers family fun such as farm animals, duck races, pumpkin sling shots, and a corn maze.  Last night i made an off the cuff dessert that I think turned out very well and resembled a "Larabar."

STRAWBERRY PIE LARA BAR

Ingredients: 

-1.5 cups pitted dates

-1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts

-2 tblsp. raw unsweetened, flaked coconut

-1/4 tsp. cinnamon

-1/2 tsp. vanilla or vanilla bean

-pinch of sea salt

-1.5 cups strawberries hulled and sliced

1.  Pulse dates, nuts, coconut, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a food processor until combined.

2.  Press the date mixture into the bottom of a 9 by 9 pan or a pie pan.

3.  Mash half the strawberries and spread on top of the date mixture.

4.  Top with the remaining sliced strawberries.

5.  Sprinkle with flaked coconut and cinnamon.  (optional)

6.  Slice and serve.

ENJOY!  Eat Well & Be Happy:)

PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY SUNSHINE AWAY!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!  Ours was great, along with GREAT weather!  Just what the doctor ordered!  A weekend of fun in the sun!  I am going to share a bunch of pictures with you to recap our weekend because I want to get back outside, enjoy my little family, and soak up the last bits of daylight:)  Enjoy!

Worked on our garden which is looking really good thus far.

snuggled in the sunshine and played "soccerball" as Calvin knows it:)

Dinner at the Paddock Club in Elkhart Lake, WI.  Amazing food as always!  Larry had the red wine braised shortrib and seared scallops and I had the Lemon, Rosemary Chicken with seasonal vegetables.  The Nascar races were held in Elkhart Lake this weekend so the town was hopping!

A few more laughs at the "Tiki Bar" and some great live music by The Liam Ford Band.

Picked 48 lbs. of strawberries at Meuer Farms in Brothertown, WI.  Fell in love with this cute little pig!  Picking strawberries is a forever family tradition that I love doing.  It's so addicting trying to find that "perfect" strawberry!  Too much sampling in the mean time.  Larry was so funny.  He thought it was "illegal" to eat a strawberry or two while picking. But then I caught him, all 6ft.3in's of him, hunched over sneaking one:) HA!  That's the spirit!  It's all part of the beautiful experience!  My favorite part of today's picking was the owner telling me how alot of the strawberries have "stretch marks" this summer due to rapid growth.  I couldn't help but chuckle about this...I guess it happens to the best of us right?  Lastly disregard my semi burnt back in photo one.  It happened to me yesterday when I put some miles on the road bike early in the day.  I know better than to think I can't get burnt in the morning:(  Came home and rubbed down with my Arbonne SPF 30 to prevent anything further...now just trying to correct the maze on my back:)

 Helper #1 checking out the fruits of our labor:)

Made a great "raw" dessert tonight!  A date, macadamia nut, and coconut crust topped with berries.  It was awesome and I will be sharing the recipe tomorrow!  I love to take the time on Sunday evenings to reflect on my past week.  My mother refers to it as being "mindful."  One thought I have tonight is that my heart is so completely full of love and abundance.  There is not one other place I would rather be than right here in my own life.......:)

GRILLED PEACH & TILAPIA SALAD with a Mint Vinaigrette

Have you tried the peaches right now?  They are amazing!  Peaches in season are the most delightful, mouth watering fruit.  Peaches out of season are enough to make you never want to eat a peach again!  You do know what I am talking about, right?  We have all taken a bite out of a peach that is woody, dry, furry, and no flavor at some point.  YUCK!  When buying peaches, smell them.  The sweet smell of peach should be practically bursting through the skin yelling "eat me."  Four-warning....the combo of salty, crispy bacon is deadly with the sweet, succulent peaches!  It is my new craze!

GRILLED PEACH & TILAPIA SALAD with a Mint Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

-diced cucumber

-diced radishes

-spinach

-jalapeno, seeded, roasted, and chopped fine  (optional)

-bacon pieces

-peaches, cut in 4 or 6 segments depending on size of peach

-tilapia

-Spice Hunters salt-free, Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Blend

-sea salt and cracked pepper

-coconut oil for grilling peaches and searing tilapia

-lime juice

1. Roast seeded jalapeno in oven at 425 degrees for about 35 mins.  I make a little foil pouch with a drizzle of olive oil, S&P, and jalapeno.  (this step is optional)

2. Rinse and chop all salad ingredients.

3. Brush peach segments with coconut oil and a small squeeze of lime juice to keep from browning.

4. Grill peaches on medium-high only for a few minutes.  Just looking to get nice grill marks, not to cook them.

5. Rinse, pat dry, and season tilapia liberally with Jerk seasoning, S&P.  Then in a coconut oiled cast iron  skillet, on high heat, cook tilapia.  About  4-5 minutes on each side depending on thickness.

6. Assemble salad and top with vinaigrette.

MINT VINAIGRETTE RECIPE

-1/2 peach (skin on)

-1/4 EVOO

-1.5 small-medium limes

-7-10 fresh mint leaves

-S & P to taste

Food process until smooth and WAHLAH!  (makes enough for about 3 salads)

ENJOY!  Eat Well & Be Happy!

GRILLED PEACH & TILAPIA SALAD with a Mint Vinaigrette

Have you tried the peaches right now?  They are amazing!  Peaches in season are the most delightful, mouth watering fruit.  Peaches out of season are enough to make you never want to eat a peach again!  You do know what I am talking about, right?  We have all taken a bite out of a peach that is woody, dry, furry, and no flavor at some point.  YUCK!  When buying peaches, smell them.  The sweet smell of peach should be practically bursting through the skin yelling "eat me."  Four-warning....the combo of salty, crispy bacon is deadly with the sweet, succulent peaches!  It is my new craze!

GRILLED PEACH & TILAPIA SALAD with a Mint Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

-diced cucumber

-diced radishes

-spinach

-jalapeno, seeded, roasted, and chopped fine  (optional)

-bacon pieces

-peaches, cut in 4 or 6 segments depending on size of peach

-tilapia

-Spice Hunters salt-free, Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Blend

-sea salt and cracked pepper

-coconut oil for grilling peaches and searing tilapia

-lime juice

1. Roast seeded jalapeno in oven at 425 degrees for about 35 mins.  I make a little foil pouch with a drizzle of 

   olive oil, S&P, and jalapeno.  (this step is optional)

2. Rinse and chop all salad ingredients.

3. Brush peach segments with coconut oil and a small squeeze of lime juice to keep from browning.

4. Grill peaches on medium-high only for a few minutes.  Just looking to get nice grill marks, not to cook 

    them.

5. Rinse, pat dry, and season tilapia liberally with Jerk seasoning, S&P.  Then in a coconut oiled cast iron 

    skillet, on high heat, cook tilapia.  About 4-5 minutes on each side depending on thickness.

6. Assemble salad and top with vinaigrette.

MINT VINAIGRETTE RECIPE

-1/2 peach (skin on)

-1/4 EVOO

-1.5 small-medium limes

-7-10 fresh mint leaves

-S & P to taste

Food process until smooth and WAHLAH!  (makes enough for about 3 salads)

ENJOY!  Eat Well & Be Happy!