Meatless Monday: Late Summer Salad with Sweet Corn, Romano Beans, and Macadamia Nuts

Divas, it's Meatless Monday time again!

Today, I'm bringing you a salad inspired by a dish I had at Cube, one of my favorite Los Angeles restaurants. The salad is made from Blue Lake green beans, Romano beans, sweet corn, and toasted Macadamia nuts. I got the nuts from Oh! Nuts, a fabulous wholesaler of nuts and dried fruit. They were huge and rich, just how you want Macadamia nuts to be. I toasted them, reserving half of them to make into a paste to whisk into the dressing, and chopping the other half to toss into the salad.

This dish turned out so fabulous! It's healthy, full of fresh summer produce, and healthy fats, and protein from the nuts. Macadamia nuts "contain 78% monounsaturated fats, the highest of any oil including olive oil," and no cholesterol, making them a great choice for your heart. I finished the salad with some shaved parmesan reggiano cheese. This dish is a true winner!

Late Summer Salad with Sweet Corn, Romano Beans, and Macadamia Nuts
Serves 4 people
Cooking time 10 minutes 
Print Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup Romano beans, blanched and chopped
1 cup Blue Lake green beans, blanched and chopped
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
3/4 cup Macadamia nuts, toasted (hazelnuts would be a great substitute)
shaved parmesan reggiano for garnishing

dressing:
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Macadamia nut paste (see directions below)
salt & pepper

Directions
Place half of the toasted Macadamia nuts in a small food processor and grind into a paste. Add the vinegar and olive oil and blend together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the salad, chop the remaining macadamia nuts into halves or quarters. Place the Macadamia nuts, Romano beans, green beans, and corn in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Check seasoning (salt and pepper).

To plate, scoop some of the salad into a bowl. Top with shaved parmesan. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
raw Macadamia nuts from Oh! Nuts

Blue Lake green beans and extra virgin olive oil from Hollywood Farmers Market (Sunday)

yellow Romano beans and sweet corn from West Hollywood Farmers Market (Monday)

Simple Suppers: Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Cucumber, and Yogurt Salad

Divas, there's been a lot happening in the world of Domestic Divas!

Hopefully you caught my new column, "Don't Rush the Risotto," published in the Hawaii Women's Journal and my recipe for "Rustic Peach Pie with Whole Grain Spelt Crust" published by KCRW's Good Food Pie-A-Day blog. I'm also starting to post Sous Vide recipes using my Sous Vide Supreme (check out this one for Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin with Sherry-Shallot Vinaigrette).

On the dining front, I'm heading up to San Francisco for Labor Day weekend, my favorite dining city by the sea. I'll be hitting up my Top Chef Brother's restaurant Picco! He's taken over the joint, and I can't wait to sample his cuisine. It will also be the Adorable Monster's first big road trip. We're booked into a pet friendly hotel. Hopefully, he'll be more adorable than monstrous, but we'll see...

And I just booked my ticket to Chicago for the end of September. I'll be going back to... wait for it... Alinea!!! Yes, that's right. I had the best meal of my life there two years ago, and I'm going back for seconds. For you curious folks, we'll be eating "The Tour." When I heard we got a reservation, I literally stood up and did a happy food dance. I can't wait...

And tonight, I'm hitting up Breadbar on W. 3rd St. in Los Angeles for their "SobaPop" Artisanal Noodle Pop-Up Bar. It's this week only.

In the meantime, here's a great, light summer recipe for Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Cucumber, and Yogurt Salad. It's healthy and refreshing, perfect for lunch or a lovely dinner. So check it out!

Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Cucumber and Yogurt Salad

Ingredients
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
4 cups raw spinach
1 cup cucumber, peeled and seeded

salad dressing:
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the grill.

Skewer the shrimp, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once the grill is hot, quickly cook the shrimp, turning once (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove the skewers from the shrimp and set aside.

Meanwhile, to make the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, dill, and garlic. Slowly, whisk in the yogurt. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed by adding more lemon juice.

To plate, toss the spinach and cucumber with the salad dressing. Place in a serving bowl and top with the grilled shrimp. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on top if desired. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
raw frozen shrimp, organic spinach, organic cucumber, organic Greek yogurt, organic dill, and organic lemons from Whole Foods

Time Magazine Article on Meatless Monday!

Divas, check out this great "Time" magazine article on Meatless Monday! And read my blog every Monday for great Meatless Monday recipes.

Click here to read the article!

Meatless Monday: Sweet Corn "Succotash"

Divas, here's a great little dish I made for a potluck dinner at a friend's house. It's a Sweet Corn "Succotash" made with corn, red bell peppers, red onion, and finished with fresh cilantro. I wanted to create a dish that made the most of the amazing corn available at the farmers markets and grocery stores right now. While a traditional succotash has lima beans or shell beans, I wanted to make a lighter dish that really showcased the corn, but feel free to add beans if you desire.

Sweet Corn "Succotash"
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Print Recipe

Ingredients
6 ears of corn, kernals removed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 medium red onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, stems removed and chopped
salt and pepper

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.

Add the onion and saute until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and saute for one more minute. Then, add the bell peppers and the corn and saute until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes). Fold in the cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
sweet corn, red bell peppers, organic red onion, organic garlic, and organic cilantro from Hollywood Farmers Market

Check Out My Recipe for "Rustic Peach Pie with Whole Grain Spelt Crust" Published on the Good Food Pie-A-Day Blog!

Divas, I have exciting news!

My recipe for "Rustic Peach Pie with Whole Grain Spelt Crust" was just published on the Good Food Pie-A-Day blog. I created this "healthier" take on the pie just for them. If you're not familiar with "Good Food" on KCRW public radio, it's an amazing food show hosted by Even Kleiman.

It's a huge honor to be published on their site. I can't wait for the upcoming pie contest, which Evan Kleiman hosts every year.

Click here for my recipe!