Blueberry, Peach & Banana Smoothie

When I first started making these drinks, I was unsure if I should call them juices or smoothies. To me, a smoothie always had the connotation that there was milk or yogurt involved somehow. However, upon some research, a smoothie is anything blended; whereas a juice is also blended, but then the mixture is then separated using a sieve to form a thin liquid removing the pulp. 

Green Bean & Peach Salad in a Maple Pecan Vinaigrette

I know I'm a little late with this one as August was National Peach Month, but at least I made it under the wire. Besides, you can still get fresh, juicy peaches through the end of September. I really enjoyed this salad as it had the perfect mix of crunchy and sweet.

Green Bean & Peach Salad in a Maple Pecan Vinaigrette
Total Time:  20 minutes  Servings: 4

Ingredients
For the Green Bean & Peach Salad

• 1 lb. Fresh Green Beans
• 1 Peach, pitted and chopped
• Prepared Maple Pecan Vinaigrette

For the Maple Pecan Vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp. Maple Syrup
• 2 tbsp. Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 c. Canola Oil
• 1 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
• 1/4 c. Chopped Pecans

Directions
For the Green Bean & Peach Salad

1. Trim the ends of the green beans, then place in a steamer pot. Fill the bottom portion of the pot with about 3" of water, cover pot and bring to a boil. Allow to steam until the beans are cooked, but still slightly crisp. Remove from the pot and rinse under cold water. 
2. Add the beans, peaches and Maple Pecan Vinaigrette to a bowl and mix well. 

For the Maple Pecan Vinaigrette

1. Whisk together all ingredients in bowl. 

Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories 250, Carbs 20.1g, Fat 19g, Protein 2.9g, Fiber 4.9, Sugar 11.4g

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

Green Bean & Peach Salad Shopping List

On another note...
I'll be taking the next week off from the blog to spend the last week of summer with my family and get the kids ready for back to school. I'll still be around posting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram so follow along to see what I'm up to. I'll be back with a new blog post September 9th as well as a new and improved Monthly Newsletter.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Corn & Peach Salad

I generally don't make corn salads unless I have left over corn on the cob. I guess it's just that I hate to waste leftovers and corn on the cob just doesn't taste the same reheated the next day. I did include directions below on how to cook the corn first just in case you want to start from scratch or you could also use frozen corn if it's not in season. We love fresh Jersey corn in the summer, but now that G has braces, it's a little hard for her to eat on the cob so she has to cut it off for now.

This salad was refreshingly light with a hint of sweetness and was also really quick and easy to make. It went perfectly with some Grilled Honey Dijon Chicken; which I'll have to make again because my official taste testers were extremely hungry and ate the chicken before I had the chance to photograph it! =)


Corn and Peach Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes           Yield: 8
Cook Time: 8 minutes             Servings: 1/2 cup
Total Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Ears of Fresh Corn on the Cob, cooked
• 2 Peaches (or nectarines), rinsed, pitted and chopped
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Basil
• 2 tbsp. White Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tbsp. Canola Oil
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Shuck the corn removing all of the hairs and place in a large pot. Add cold water and bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for 6-8 minutes. 
2. Remove the corn from the pot and allow to cool. 
3. Using a sharp knife, hold the corn upright on a flat surface(cutting board works fine) and cut off the kernels by slicing the knife downward. 
4. Place the kernels in a bowl and add the peaches, basil vinegar and oil. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 57, Carbs 10.1g, Fat 2g, Protein 1.2g, Fiber 1.3g, Sugar 3.9g

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

Enjoy! 

Corn & Peach Salad Shopping List

Tell me your favorite way to eat corn. 

ON or OFF the cob? Comment Below.

Shared at Thursday's Treasures 7/18/13  

Grilled Chicken with Summer Fruit Salsa

Are you looking for a light, summer dinner to serve the family? Then this is the perfect dish for you! Fresh peaches and mangoes tossed with Heirloom tomatoes, fresh lime juice and balsamic vinegar gives plain, boring grilled chicken that WOW factor! Not only was this FABULOUS on the chicken, but I bet it would taste great on top of boneless pork chops or fish, like shrimp or salmon, or maybe even just on it's own with some tortilla chips as an appetizer.  

Grilled Chicken with Summer Fruit Salsa
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
Prepared Summer Fruit Salsa

Grill chicken until proper internal temperature is reached. Top with chilled salsa. Serves 4. 

Summer Fruit Salsa
1 Heirloom Tomato, finely chopped
1 Mango, peeled, de-pitted and finely chopped
1 Peach, peeled, de-pitted and finely chopped
1 tsp. Red Onion, minced
Juice from 1 Lime
1 tsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp. Canola Oil
1 tsp. Sugar
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients together and chill until ready to serve. Makes 1 cup. 


Enjoy!

Shared at The Country Cook Weekend Potluck 8/17/12

Peach Crisp

July, August and September is the heart of peach picking season here in NJ and let me tell you, they're beautiful this year. (Well, at least the markets I've been going to!) They were so plump and mouthwateringly juicy, I just had to eat one on it's own before I could even cut it up for this crisp! I used the standard yellow skin peach variety, but feel free to try the white flesh or donut peaches if you'd like instead. This is another one of those easy recipes you can make last minute if you're in the mood for a little something sweet and even top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you wish. 

Peach Crisp
4-5 large peaches
1 tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. Ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. butter, chilled

Directions:
1. Cut the peach in half around the pit. Remove the pit, peel and slice the peaches and add to a bowl. 
2. Add the cornstarch and nutmeg to the peaches and mix well. 
3. Add the mixture to a baking dish (I used a 9"x9").
4. Cut up the butter into small pieces and place them through out the peaches. 

Topping
1 c. oats
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
6 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until it is a crumbly mixture. 
2. Add the topping evenly over the peaches, then bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the peaches have softened (I use the tip of a sharp knife and stick it into the mixture) and the top is lightly browned. 
3. Remove from the oven and let cool. Serves 9. 

Enjoy! 

Shared on Foodie Friends Friday 8/17/12