Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 2-3 juicy limes)
1/4 c. white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 c. canola oil
1/2 c. roughly chopped cilantro, stems removed

Directions

In the jar of your blender, combine lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and sugar. Blend until ingredients are completely combined. With the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Add cilantro and blend until the cilantro has broken down but still maintains some of its texture. Serve with greens, on any type of Mexican salad, or use as a marinade.

Corn Salad with Queso Fresco

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
8 ounces queso fresco or cotija cheese
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (and seeded if desired)
1/2 recipe (about 6 ounces) Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, and cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a large stock pot. When the water boils, add the corn and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse and then add to a large bowl. Toss together the corn, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno pepper, and crumbled cheese. Toss with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette. Chill until ready to serve. Right before serving, gently toss in the avocado and season with salt and pepper. Serves 10-12.

Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
• 1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese with garlic and herbs, crumbled
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces egg noodles
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Instructions

• 1. Combine beef, 5 tablespoons Boursin cheese, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in medium bowl and knead gently until combined. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.
• 2. Cook onion in reserved fat until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add broth, noodles, and wine and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and noodles are al dente, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining Boursin and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Herb Crusted Pork Chops

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops, fat trimmed

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 cup whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Rub mustard evenly over pork chops. Combine panko, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper in a large bowl and dredge pork chops in panko mixture.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan and swirl to coat. Add pork chops, saute for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Turn pork over and place skillet in oven for about 8 minutes or until pork reaches 145 degrees in the center.

No Bake Engery Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quick oats
• 1 cup Rice Krispies Cereal
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup Granola
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Method:
Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1″ in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Makes about 20-25 balls.

Substitution ideas can abound for just about any of these ingredients! Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.) for the peanut butter.  The original recipe called for coconut flakes instead of Rice Krispies Cereal.  And you could also add in some wheat germ or flaxseed in place of some or all of granola. I would caution, though, against substituting agave nectar for the honey, as the honey’s thickness helps hold things together.
Some other fun substitutions for the chocolate chips (or an addition to them) could include:

• chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, etc.)
• dried berries (cranberries, cherries, etc.)
• chopped almonds, pecans, or sunflower seeds
• other chips (butterscotch, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, etc.)