Balsamic Fruit Fool

Happy April Fool!

Like many of the things I post, this is a simple recipe. I'm all for things that can be done in a few minutes and still look and taste great.

This could be dressed up any number of ways, but I went with the easiest.

Balsamic Fruit Fool

Shortcake shells
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt per shell
mixed berries in balsamic
glazed walnuts

Set each shell in a small bowl. Layer in 1/2 cup yogurt and about 2 tbsp of the fruit on each. I put about the same amount of nuts as well. Serve!

Berries in Balsamic

3 cups mixed berries
     strawberries, blackberries and blueberries
1/4 cup Chocolate Raspberry Balsamic

Chop the strawberries into small bits. Toss fruit and balsamic together in a large bowl and let sit for about half an hour.

Serve on anything.


Glazed Sesame Walnuts

1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup Cherry Balsamic
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Sesame Seeds, garnish

Heat a pan to medium heat and add the nuts and Sesame Oil. Toast, stirring occasionally about 2 minutes. Nuts should be fragrant but not burnt.

Add in the Balsamic and sugar and stir quickly to coat. Cook about 30 seconds.

Turn out onto a platter and spread in a single layer to cool. Sprinkle with sesame seeds immediately.

Stores up to a week in the refrigerator.

Red Apple Pork Salad

As promised, here is the salad made with the leftovers of the Red Apple Pork. They were fun as chops, but this was even better. Next time I make pork chops, I'm making extra just for salad!

Red Apple Pork Salad

2 pork chops, cooked
1 red apple
1/2 medium head of cabbage
1 orange pepper
1 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
sesame seeds
3 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Red Apple Balsamic

Slice everything into thin strips. You can substitute a bag of coleslaw mix for the cabbage. Put the whole thing in a large bowl and drizzle with the oil and balsamic. Toss to coat and give it a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds.

I think it's even better a little warm. Just pop your serving in the microwave for 30-40 seconds.

Sesame Chicken Noodles

I whipped this up the other day with some chicken that I had stir fried and then went and forgot to post it! Sorry everyone!

The only problem I have with stir fry is all the dishes! Everything needs to be in it's own separate bowl before you add it all together. If you combine them before you should the texture comes out wrong. So a good dinner....and hopefully, some one else to wash up!

Sesame Chicken Noodles

1 lb chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 medium onion

2 green bell peppers

1 carrot

1 tbsp cornstarch

3 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil

1 tbsp agave syrup or honey

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp Tangerine Balsamic

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

1/4 cup white wine

2 eggs

1 sleeve soba noodles or spaghetti

1/4 cup chicken broth

Combine the cornstarch, Tangerine Balsamic and the wine in a bowl. Add in the chicken and mix until it is evenly coated. Let marinade for at least 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. 

Cook the soba or spaghetti until al dente. Rinse, drain and set aside. Dice the onion and bell pepper, cut the carrot into matchsticks. Beat the eggs together in a small bowl. Set everything aside in their own separate bowls.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the sesame oil up to very high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer. Give each piece some room in the pan cooking them in batches if necessary. Cook, without touching, for about 1 minute. When the bottom and sides are slightly charred and caramelized, flip the chicken and let cook again about 40 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the chicken to a plate.

Place the pan back on the stove, add the second tablespoon of oil and reduce to a medium heat. Once the pan is nice and hot, pour in the egg carefully and let cook about 1 minute. Chop into small pieces and stir for another 30 seconds or so. Remove to another plate.

Add the last tablespoon of Sesame Oil and the vegetables and ginger. Saute for about a minute, making sure to stir everything well to get a nice coating of oil. Add the chicken back in and stir to combine. Next add the chicken broth. Cook while stirring for 1 minute. Now add the egg and stir again. Continue cooking for 30 seconds to one minute. The liquid should be just about absorbed.

Add the noodles and the agave or honey and the sesame seeds. Toss everything to coat well and turn the heat to medium low. Cook until the noodles are warmed through, a minute or less. 

Serve.

Sesame Pork with Leeks

So I've had this bunch of leeks in my fridge for about a week. They were starting to look sad and shrivel-y so I really had to use them quickly. Then yesterday when I went shopping, pork loin was on sale! A match made in heaven. I got right home and cooking!

If you have no leeks, add in extra onions. Red onion, yellow onion, green onion bunches... leeks are related. It's all good. If you have no pork....also works with chicken.

Sesame Pork with Leeks

1 pork loin, 2 lb
1 large bunch of leeks
     or a little bit of leeks and a small onion
1 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
2 tbsp, plus 1 tbsp White Honey Ginger Balsamic
Sesame Seeds
2 chilies, seeded and diced
1 bunch parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the pork roast in a non-stick pan and rub down with 2 tbsp Honey Ginger Balsamic and garlic paste. Roast, uncovered for 35-40 minutes. Let cool.

Slice the leeks thinly white parts and non woody green bits, and the onion if you are using. Heat a large pan to medium heat and add in the leeks and the Toasted Sesame Oil. Saute slowly until the leeks are soft and fragrant stirring occasionally.

Dice the pork roast and add it to the pan. Raise the heat to medium high and saute, stirring often. Add in the chilies and the parsley. Cook until everything is warmed through and the parsley is well wilted.

Now add the remaining tablespoon of White Honey Ginger Balsamic and serve. Top with sesame seeds.

Grapefruit and Avocado Shrimp Satay

Grapefruit, Avocado and Shrimp Satay

1 lb cooked shrimp, thawed if frozen
1 ruby grapefruit
1 avocado
1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1 tbsp White Grapefruit Balsamic

Peanut Sauce:
1/4 cup Peanut or other nut butter
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish

Stir together all the ingredients for the sauce and set aside. I like this sauce very thick, so if you want it a little thinner, add up to 1/4 cup of warm water.

Heat the Sesame Oil in a large saute pan to a medium high heat. Toss in the shrimp and stir. The shrimp should be in a single layer or you won't get the right caramelization on each one, so cook these in batches if you have to.

Cook the shrimp 1/2 - 1 minute per side, adding a little more Sesame Oil if you have to. Make sure that they have been thoroughly thawed if you are using frozen shrimp or they will be more tough than tender.

Add the Grapefruit Balsamic to the shrimp and set on high heat for around 30 seconds. Stir constantly.

Dice up the avocado and segment the grapefruit. Toss with the shrimp and drizzle with the sauce.

Sesame Salmon

I had some salmon in the fridge, a raging hunger and not much else going on. There is only so much raw parsley you can eat before you feel much too fresh.

I popped open a can of sliced potatoes and tossed this together in about 2 minutes. I thought it was fantastic! I hope you do too!

Sesame Salmon

1 salmon fillet
1 can sliced new potatoes
     or 8-10 quartered red potatoes
salt & pepper
1 tbsp fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
sesame seeds
2-3 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Zesty Lemon Balsamic

Preheat your oven to 400degrees.

Spread half the Sesame Oil in the bottom of a casserole pan large enough to hold everything semi spread out. Add the potatoes and toss them to coat them in the oil.

If you are using canned potatoes, proceed to the next paragraph. If you are using regular potatoes, sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper and pop them in the oven for 10 minutes.

Add the salmon to the pan. drizzle the rest of the oil and the balsamic over everything. Sprinkle the fish with the salt and pepper and toss the sesame seeds over everything. Mix in about a tbsp of chopped parsley to the potatoes.

Bake for about 20 minutes. The salmon should flake easily when you poke it with a fork. (If you have a very thin piece of fish, try it after 15 minutes, try a really thick one after 25.)

Garnish with parsley and devour.

Toasted Sesame and Coconut Almonds

This is just a snack I threw together today. I will make it at home even better one of these days....

Toasted Sesame and Coconut Almonds

handful of almonds

a little Toasted Sesame Oil

a little White Coconut Balsamic

Stir it all together and enjoy!

I intend to toast the almonds at home and maybe sprinkle some sesame seeds on them too. But that's really the only differences. I think this is just abut perfect as is. Maybe next time they can spend 20 seconds in the microwave....

Toasted Sesame Omelette

This spicy little thing came about because I was hungry, but didn't really want to cook. That means it's time for eggs. Cooking an omelette isn't really cooking to me. If it only takes 2 minutes, it's not cooking.

So egg! Half the time with this comes from beating the eggs beforehand.

Spicy Toasted Sesame Omelette

2 eggs
1 tbsp Spicy Condiment with Mushrooms*
2 tbsp shredded cheddar
1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
a pinch of sesame seeds


Spread the Toasted Sesame Oil around the pan and heat to medium. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat, stirring in the mushrooms and the cheddar. When it is well combined, pour into the heated pan.

Now wait until it starts to appear dry on top. Flip and cook for about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, fold and serve.

*available by phone or in store

Honey Sesame Pork

Sometimes olive oil just isn't what you need. This Asian-inspired dish really needs the toasty flavor of sesame oil. It is a good thing that it mixed so well with the flavors of our Honey Date Balsamic, or this would be a recipe for another blog!

Honey Sesame Pork

1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Honey Date Balsamic
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1 lb pork, sausage or ground
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
sesame seeds

Brown the pork in the sesame oil. Add in the vegetable stock and simmer, covered about 8-10 minutes. The liquid should be reduced and the pork should be cooked through.

Add in the Honey Date Balsamic, and the red pepper flakes and stir to coat. Use salt and pepper sparingly, if desired.

Cook for 2-4 minutes to let the Balsamic caramelize on the pork. Shake sesame seeds over the pan. You want a generous amount on there.

Serve hot. With rice or udon noodles.

Thai Mango Beef

To keep on the Thai theme.....

Thai Mango Beef

1 pkg beef strips for stir fry

1 bell pepper, sliced

1/2 - 1 cup julienned carrots

1 lg onion, thin sliced

2 tbsp lemongrass paste*

1/4 inch piece ginger, sliced

1-2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tsp cornstarch

4-5 tbsp sesame oil, divided

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup Mango Balsamic

Place beef into a large bowl, sprinkle with the cornstarch and toss to coat. Heat a large saute pan to medium-high heat. Swirl 2-3 tbsp sesame oil around the pan. Add the beef and stir-fry 4-5 minutes, or until it is cooked through.

Set the beef aside and keep warm. With the pan still hot, add the onion. Stir fry for 2-4 minutes, until the onion just starts to brown. Add the bell pepper, lemongrass, ginger and carrots. Add a little more sesame oil if needed.

Add the beef back into the pan. Stir in the coconut milk and the Mango Balsamic, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir frequently.

Serve hot!

*I love lemongrass paste. Most grocery stores carry the Gourmet Garden pastes, but if not, you can find them online here.  Or just use 1 fresh lemongrass stalk, diced.