Shaved Asparagus Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Ingredients
1 pound thick Asparagus ($2.63)
1 wedge Pecorino-romano cheese ($4.99/Wedge)
1/2 tsp. Grated lemon peel ($1.25)
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Grated orange peel ($1.00)
2 Tbsp. Orange juice
1 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar
1/4 c. EVOO
Course salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 oz Walnuts or Pecans ($3.99/Bag)

Directions
Do not remove the tough ends from the asparagus spears. Hold the tough end of the spear on a cutting board and draw a vegetable peeler down to create thin ribbons. Place the ribbons in a bowl and throw away the tough ends.

Hold the wedge of cheese and draw the vegetable peeler down the side to create ribbons and add to the bowl. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk together lemon peel and juice, orange peel and juice and vinegar. Whisk in olive oil slowly.

Place asparagus on a platter or bowl, poor dressing over top and garnish with pecans and more cheese.

Orange Chicken with Sriracha

Instead of serving this dish over rice, we used steamed broccoli and it was perfect. Clean and crunchy. We reduced the sugar from 1/2 cup to a few tablespoons. I'd like to try cooking it in coconut oil or possibly broiling it to reduce the fat more. I'm not sure if the coating on the chicken would taste the same. I'll edit this recipe when I cook it the next time. 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the Marinade:
• 1 cup regular chicken broth
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• zest of one orange
• 2 Tbsp white sugar
• ⅓ cup Asian seasoned rice vinegar
• ¼ cup regular (not light) soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2-3 TB Sriracha, depending on desired heat level
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 TB cornstarch, dissolved with 2 TB water
• For the Chicken:
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 cup cornstarch, in a pie pan
• 2 large eggs, beaten, in a pie pan
• 1 cup peanut oil for frying
• Optional: We used sesame seeds, cilantro and green onions for garnish

Directions

1. Make the marinade: Combine all marinade ingredients together in a bowl, and whisk to incorporate well. Combine chicken with ½ cup of the marinade, making sure that all pieces are thoroughly covered with the marinade. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes or longer.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring remaining marinade to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Sauce will thicken as it gets to a boil. Once sauce is thickened, turn heat off. Keep sauce warm while you fry the chicken.
3. Drain chicken and discard used marinade.
4. Dip chicken pieces a few at a time into the pan of beaten eggs. Let excess eggs drip off, and dredge chicken pieces in the pan of cornstarch. Press to coat well. Repeat until all pieces are coated.
5. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high to high heat, until oil is very hot. Add chicken pieces, taking care not to overcrowd, and fry until cooked through, about 1-2 min. Place fried chicken on paper towels, and work in batches until all chicken is fried.
6. Toss chicken with warm sauce and serve immediately. Serve over rice and garnish as desired.

Rainbow Fruit Kabobs

Rainbow Fruit Kabobs

Ingredients:

Red Fruit: Strawberries, Cherries, Apples, Raspberries, Watermelon, Cranberries, Red Grapes

Orange/Yellow Fruit: Oranges, Peaches, Papayas, Apricots, Pineapple, Bananas

Green Fruit: Granny Smith Apples, Kiwi, Grapes

Blue/Purple Fruit: Blueberries, Blackberries, Plums, Raisins, Figs, Grapes

Pink Fruit: Grapefruit

Directions/Tips:

I think these are pretty self explanatory. I have made these on several occasions, with and without chocolate dipped strawberries. They are healthy and something cool and sweet without feeling guilty.

Don't forget to soak the kabob sticks in water for 15 minutes prior. Serve with champagne, poppyseed dressing or cheesecake dip. These can also be made with vegetables!