Frozen Watermelon Cilantro Limeade

By Carrie Farias

Have you ever purchased a watermelon and cut it open only to find out that it is not sweet at all? This happens to me every now and then. In fact, Gabrielle was just telling me Friday night that whenever I have to take a fruit salad somewhere the fruit is sweet...make it home, not sweet. I guess it's just my luck. So a few weeks ago I purchased a watermelon such as this and it sat for days. No one would eat it! So instead of throwing it away (like I normally would have done), I experimented with a way to utilize it instead. 

This Frozen Watermelon Cilantro Limeade was so light and refreshing and the kids loved it! In fact, after I made this, it was gone the next day. Hubby was away on his business trip at the time so he didn't get to try it, but I promised him to make it again the next time I got an unsweetened watermelon on a hot day. I also snuck in a little rum in one of my drinks see how that tasted and it made a wonderful frozen alcoholic drink too. 

Grilled Pork Chops with Lime and Cilantro (Family Favorites)

Did you know that I have created and shared over 650 new recipes since I started this blog? In fact, this coming Saturday will be CEK's 2 year blogging anniversary! Many of the original recipes are no longer on the site, but you can find them in my cookbook available at many online retailers like Amazon, BN.com and IndieBound. 

 Carrie's Experimental Kitchen: A Collection of Mediterranean-Inspired Family Meals

The funny thing is that since I created all of these recipes, there are only a handful of them that I've made since. I know you might find that hard to believe that someone can have that much of a variety in their meal planning, but YES my family can attest to the fact that I've made something new almost every day for the last 2 years! They like my experiments and the first thing they do when they come home is look to see what I've made next; though sometimes they just crave a burger and fries or take-out pizza. It's all good. :)

So I decided that I would go back to the early days of CEK and pull out some of my family's favorite recipes from the cookbook, make them again and share the recipe with you each week in a new segment called 'Family Favorites'.  I will also include the Nutritional Information since these were not included in the book. 

For today's post, I decided to share the first recipe I ever published here on the blog for Grilled Pork Chops with Lime and Cilantro. I didn't even photograph it the first time and that's a good thing (my early photo skills were horrific!). I just love this recipe. The brining keeps this lean cut of meat moist and tender, and the lime and cilantro add an extra layer of freshness. Besides, it reminds me that summer is on its way! 

Grilled Pork Chops with Lime and Cilantro

4-4oz Boneless Pork Chops

3/4 Cup Water

2 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar

2 Tbsp. Kosher Salt

1 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Rind, grated

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix water, sugar, and salt until it dissolves. 

2. Add cilantro, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, and pepper, and whisk together until well blended. 

3. Trim any visible fat from your pork chop; then tenderize the chop using a meat mallet or the bottom of a glass. 

4. Add the pork chops and the marinade to a resealable plastic bag, and refrigerate no more than 2 hours. 

5. Remove the meat from the bag, discard the marinade; then grill the pork chops until the proper internal temperature is reached. (It all depends on the thickness of your chop and how you and your family prefer to eat it). Serves 4. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 214, Carbs 9.1g, Fat 8g, Protein 24.5g, Fiber .8g, Sugar 7g 
*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. This recipe factors in all of the above bringing ingredients. Actuals may be significantly less as all of the marinade gets discarded and is not consumed. 

*Suggested Sides: Brown or White Rice with Baby Carrots in a Honey Lime Butter  

*For all of the main entrees in the cookbook, I also suggest side dishes that I've created that go along well with each recipe to help with your family meal planning.

Enjoy! 

Fiesta Turkey Meatloaf

I have NO idea what made me think of adding fresh limes to my ground turkey the other day, but I was certainly glad I did! The summer always make me crave foods that are light and refreshing and limes and cilantro certainly do the trick. I originally wanted to make these as burgers, but as soon as I was about to prepare them, we had this deluge of rain come down and I wasn't about to stand outside and grill them.  If you have some jalepeno peppers, add them as well to give it more of a kick! 

Fiesta Turkey Meatloaf
1 lb. 99/1 Ground Turkey
1/2 c. Tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. Red Onion, grated
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 tbsp. Canola Oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper




Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together, then form into a rectangle shape. 
2. Place in an oven safe baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until proper internal temperature is reached. Serves 6. 

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 93, Carbs 2.6g, Fat 1.5g, Protein 18g, Fiber .7g, Sugar .5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Shared at Thursday's Treasures 8/23/12

Guacamole Pasta with Sausage

I wanted guacamole on Superbowl Sunday, but never got around to making it. So I was left with four overly ripe avocados. Instead of making guacamole with it during the week, I decided to make a meal out of it and mix it with some pasta and sausage, which I had also taken out to make something with on that day. This pasta was so quick and easy to make and I loved the way the fresh cilantro, lime and avocado made a creamy sauce for the pasta. It was a definite hit for dinner with the family! You could also use pre-made guacamole if you have some left over or use chicken instead of sausage, I bet it would taste just as good. 

Guacamole Pasta with Sausage
1 lb. Pasta (I used Fusilli)
6 Links Italian Sausage, casings removed
1 c. Red Onion, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Jalepeno Pepper, finely chopped
1 Lime, zest and juice
2 tbsp. Cilantro, chopped
2 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
4 Ripe Avocados, removed from shell, pit removed and chopped
1/2 c. Low Sodium Chicken Broth


In a large pot, boil water and cook pasta according to package directions. In a separate large saute pan, add the sausage and break it apart until small bits and cook until there is no pink left. Next, add the onion, garlic, jalepeno, lime zest and juice and cilantro. Saute until the onions become translucent. Next add the tomatoes and avocado and mix well. Set aside until your pasta is cooked. After draining the water from the pasta, put it back in the pot and add the sausage mixture and the chicken broth, mix well until all ingredients have combined. Serves 6. 


Enjoy!

Pin It

Shared at Lady Behind the Curtain 2/8/12
Shared at Newlyweds Blog 2/8/12

Roasted Chicken with Fresh Pomegranate, Lime and Cilantro

If you follow me on Facebook, this is the roasted chicken I made last night for dinner. It had such a refreshing flavor and the kids LOVED the pomegranate seeds. 

They had never tried pomegranate before and got a kick out of pulling the seeds away from the membrane. It's actually quite easy if you've never done it before yourself. Cut the top of the pomegranate in half about halfway down, then break it apart with your fingers. I found it easier to place in a bowl with a little water. The seeds drop to the bottom while the fleshy part floats to the top, making it easier to separate. Just be careful..pomegranate juice STAINS, so you might want to put on an apron or an old shirt. :) Also, don't be afraid if your little bird is pink while marinating. It will turn to this golden brown color once roasted. 

Roasted Chicken with Fresh Pomegranate, Lime and Cilantro
3-4lb. Roaster Chicken, insides removed

Marinade
1/2 Fresh Pomegranate, seeds only (about 1 cup)
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/3 c. Canola Oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 c. Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Add pomegranate seeds to a blender and pulse. Strain the mixture to remove all of the seeds with a sieve. Add the juice to a bowl and whisk in the lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Add the chicken to resealable bag and pour in the mixture. Seal the bag and coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Place chicken in a roasting pan, add the chicken broth then bake chicken at 350 degrees until proper internal temperature is reached, basting the chicken every 20 minutes to achieve the golden color. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing. 

Enjoy and GO GIANTS!...Sorry, I couldn't resist! :)

Spinach Salad with Fresh Beets & Avocado in a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

I always try to buy at least one new item that I've never purchased or made before each week while shopping and this week it was beets. Don't get me wrong. I've eaten them while dining at restaurants and had the childhood family favorite of Pickled Beets, but I've never once made them myself. So during this week's trip to the vegetable market, I picked one up. I wasn't quite sure what to do with it until I got to the grocery store and they had some avocado on sale because it was fully ripened. I decided to make this spinach salad with both ingredients and being that I had already purchased some cilantro this week, I also needed to use that up as well...hence, the Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette. I thought it was delicious and the beets took on the flavors of the combined ingredients and made this salad a terrific and filling lunch. 

Spinach Salad with Fresh Beets & Avocado in a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
4c. Fresh Spinach, rinsed and stems removed
1 Fresh Beet, cooked (see below) and chopped
1/2 Avocado, chopped
1/2 c. Grape Tomatoes, halved

In a bowl, gently tear spinach leaves into bite sized pieces. Next, add the beets, avocado and tomatoes. Add the dressing right before serving. Serves 2. 


Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
1 Lime, juice only
3 tbsp. Canola Oil
1 tsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Sugar

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients until well blended. Add to prepared spinach salad when ready to serve. 

How to Cook a Fresh Beet
Place beet(s) in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and let simmer until fork tender; approximately 30-45 minutes depending on the size/quantity. Let cool and peel skin then slice or chop. 

Points+=9 pts.

 
Powered by eRecipe.com


Linked to Amee's Savory Dish Fit & Fabulous Friday's

Mexican Beer Cheese Soup

I had seen a recipe in passing for Beer Cheese Soup and thought it sounded interesting, but I'm not a huge beer drinker/fan so I chalked it up to "if the need presents itself" category and locked it away in the depths of my brain. That is, until this past weekend, when we had an entire package of shredded Mexican cheese left over from a function at school and I was told to take it home. I figured, why not, I'll find something to make with it. So before it went bad, I decided that I'd make Beer Cheese Soup with it. The original recipes I found were fairly simple and called for beer, broth, cheese and heavy cream. Since I had this Mexican blend shredded cheese, I wanted to give it a little twist and what goes better with Mexican food than a nice cold Corona with lime (so says the hubby). And you can't have lime without cilantro, right? (Well, at least I think it goes perfect together!). I even lightened it up by using 2% milk instead of heavy cream since I'm trying to shed that extra holiday weight gain and it was so flavorful, I don't think you'd even miss the cream!

Mexican Beer Cheese Soup
1/4 c. Spanish Onion, chopped
1 Stalk Celery, chopped
1 tbsp. Butter
2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
1-12oz. Bottle Corona Extra Beer
2 c. 2% Milk
1 Lime, zest and juice
10oz. Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend (Mild Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Queso Quesadilla & Asadero Cheeses)
2 c.  Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped + some for garnish
2 tbsp. Cold Water
2 tbsp. Cornstarch

In a saucepan, melt butter and add onion and celery. Saute for approximately 5 minutes, then add flour to form a roux. Gradually add the bottle of beer and mix well. Add the chicken broth and cilantro and bring to a boil. While this is cooking, heat the milk, lime zest and juice and cheese together over low heat until the cheese has melted. Once melted, add to the soup mixture and reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Use your immersion blender* to blend all of the ingredients together. If it looks too "loose" and not creamy enough, simply mix together cornstarch & cold water to help thicken it to your liking. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Makes 8 cups.

*If you do not have an immersion blender, simply pour the mixture into a regular blender and puree until smooth. Just be very careful not to fill it too much to the top as it will be extremely hot and you don't want to pop the lid off of your blender!

Enjoy!

Lime & Cilantro Roasted Cauliflower

Can you tell the them of last week's menu items yet? Yes, it's lime and cilantro...again. I did, however, make this delicious cauliflower the same night I made the chicken thighs so this dish complemented my meal very well. I love roasting cauliflower, it gives it such a great flavor and for me, allows me to eat it as I won't any other way! 

Lime & Cilantro Roasted Cauliflower
1 Large Head of Cauliflower, core removed and florets cut and rinsed under cold water
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/2 Lime, zest and juice
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
3 tbsp. Canola Oil
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper






Add all ingredients in to a bowl and mix well until all of the cauliflower has been coated. Place in a 9"x9" baking dish and bake at 400°F for 45 minutes, turning occasionally.  Serves 6. 


Points+=3


Enjoy!

Chicken Thighs in a Lime Cilantro Wine Sauce

When I went food shopping last week, they had a sale on limes, 6 for $2, so I figured I'd find a way to use them up before they went bad. I wanted to make some chicken thighs in my Dutch oven again (everything tastes AMAZING in this thing!) and also had some cilantro left in the freezer so it seemed like the perfect combination. 


According to Nutrition and You, cilantro has many health benefits including:

• Cilantro herb contains no cholesterol; but is rich in anti-oxidants and dietary fiber which help reduce LDL or "bad cholesterol" while increasing HDL or "good cholesterol" levels.
• The leaves and seeds contain many essential volatile oils.
• The herb is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Iron is essential for red blood cell production. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase.
• It is also rich in many vital vitamins including folic-acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-A, beta carotene, vitamin-C that are essential for optimum health. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Cilantro leaves provides 30% of daily recommended levels of vitamin-C.
• It provides 6748 IU of vitamin-A per 100 g, about 225% of recommended daily intake. Vitamin-A, an important fat soluble vitamin and anti-oxidant, is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in vitamin-A and flavonoids (carotenes) helps body protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• Cilantro is one of the richest herbal sources for vitamin K. Vitamin-K has potential role in bone mass building by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bones. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.
• The coriander seeds oil have found application in many traditional medicines as analgesic, aphrodisiac, anti-spasmodic, deodorant, digestive, carminative, fungicidal, lipolytic (weight loss), stimulant and stomachic.
  
  
  Ok, I'm done with the history lesson on cilantro now! :)  But really, this dish was delicious and extremely light and flavorful. 

Chicken Thighs in a Lime Cilantro Wine Sauce
4 Chicken Thighs, skin removed
2 tbsp. Canola Oil
1 c. White Wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
3 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
2 tbsp. Cornstarch + 2 tbsp. Cold Water, to thicken sauce
Parsley, garnish


Heat a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the chicken and lightly brown on both sides (approx. 15 minutes). Add the wine, cilantro, lime zest and juice, garlic powder and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat then let simmer for 45-50 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside. Thicken the sauce with the cornstarch and water then add back in the chicken and simmer for another 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4. 


Points+=7


Enjoy!

Copycat Recipe Week: Day 7-Jalapeno & Sweet Potato Fritters

Today is Day 7 and the final day of my Copycat Recipe Week. I hope you have enjoyed getting to know some of these other great food bloggers as much as I have had trying out their fantastic recipes. They're all on Facebook too so if you go like them, tell them I sent you over. 


The last recipe (but certainly not the least!) comes from Bia at Bia's Rich and Sweet Kitchen. The other night, I was in a lime/cilantro type mood again (recipe to follow next week) and I wanted a side dish to go with what I was making. These sweet potato fritters were incredible and unbelievably light. We don't like a lot of heat in our food so I did cut down on the amount of jalepeno peppers and onions and I added a little bit of cilantro, to blend the flavors with my other menu items that evening, but everything else remained the same. Thanks for a great recipe idea Bia!

Jalapeno & Sweet Potato Fritters
1 Large or 2 Small Sweet Potato
1 Small Jalapeno Pepper, chopped (measured about 1 tbsp.)
1/2 c. Red Onion, chopped
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
2 + 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 Egg, beaten
3/4 c. Cornmeal (I used the yellow kind)
1/4 c. All-Purpose Flour
1/4 c. Water


Prick sweet potatoes with a knife or fork and microwave for about 10 minutes or until inside is soft. Peel potatoes while warm, add the insides to a bowl and mash them with a fork. Set them aside. In a frying pan, heat 2 tbsp. of the olive oil and cook the onions over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add jalapenos and cilantro and saute for another 3 minutes. In a medium bowl mix flour, cornmeal, salt, paprika and baking powder. Add jalapeno/onion mixture, egg and water to sweet potatoes and mix it well. Add dry ingredients and mix it all together. Make balls, about 1 heaping soup spoon worth out of the mixture. Preheat the oven to 425F. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and lightly fry the fritters on all sides. (I flattened mine so they were flat) Grease a cookie sheet. Place lightly fried fritters on cookie sheet and bake them on preheated oven for 10 minutes. They should be firm and slightly puffed. Makes 8 fritters. 


Weight Watchers Points+ Value Per Serving = 4


Enjoy!

Chick Pea, Pumpkin & Cilantro Fritters

I know...I was even second guessing this one myself. But, they were INCREDIBLE if I don't say so myself (plus I had a few of my guinea pigs, uh I mean friends, try them out for me as well!). I had stopped at the store the other day to pick up some cilantro and all the store had was this HUGE bunch of it. Now I love it, but don't use it that often. This was also the day that I had to wait in line for 15 minutes at the check out counter to pay for said cilantro because apparently two cashiers didn't know they had to come in to work the earlier shift...gotta love it! Thank goodness for my smartphone, I don't know what I did without one..hours and hours of entertainment at our fingertips. So after getting it home to use in another recipe I was making, I rinsed it off well, drained it on some paper towels, removed the stems, put it in a large resealable plastic bag and then put it in the freezer for later use. (Hint: You can do this with most fresh herbs. It just doesn't look pretty as a garnish once defrosted but it's perfectly fine to use in your recipes.) 


Anyhow, I was in my kitchen thinking about what I could also use this cilantro with when I noticed two things. 1. I can't wait to remodel my kitchen because I must have the smallest darn pantry on Earth (seriously, it's a closet with 2 shelves allotted for dry/canned food and the rest baskets and dog paraphernalia...no wonder I'm always at the grocery store!) and 2. I saw some canned chick peas and pumpkin peeking out from one of the shelves. I hadn't made any fritters in a while and thought "weird combo" but I think I'll give it a shot. Now, I'm not by any means a vegetarian, but I could definitely get used to it with meals like this. YUM!

Chick Pea, Pumpkin & Cilantro Fritters
1-15oz. Can Pumpkin Puree (I used Libby's)
1-15oz. Can Chick Peas, rinsed under cold water
2 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp. Red Onion, minced
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 c. Self-Rising Flour
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Kosher Salt, to taste
Canola Oil, for frying


In a bowl, mix together the chick peas, pumpkin, cilantro, onion, lime zest & juice, garlic, flour and pepper until well blended. Heat about 1/2" oil in a large frying pan and add a kitchen tablespoon full of mixture to the oil. Flatten slightly and fry on each side 2-3 minutes until browned. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags to remove the excess oil and serve hot. Makes 12 fritters. 


Enjoy!