Father’s Day Recipes: Food Week at TML Begins!

Do any of these sound good to you (or might they sound good to Dad)?

Grilled Turkey London Broil
Pasta with Broccoli and an Alfredo White Northern Bean Sauce
Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar
Flank Steak with Mango Salsa and Vegetable Kabobs

Are you a bit confused right now, and worried that perhaps you’re not reading the right blog?

It’s Food Week here at This Mom Loves! Do not adjust your computer, you read correctly: Food Week.

I had an epiphany in the staff room the other day. My coworkers were poring over the Treat Day (i.e. Thursday) selections on the table, and throwing around strange words like “lentils” and “cumin”. Finally I burst out laughing and said “I feel like you people are speaking a foreign language in front of me!”

And it got me thinking…just because I hate to cook…and eat normal food…that doesn’t mean my readers are the same! (The Oprah Show may be gone, but let me tell you: the Aha! moments will never cease.)

So for all of you chefs and gourmands, this week I will bring you all sorts of recipes and nutritional tips from some fantastic experts. I can’t guarantee that I will make said dishes or follow said advice, but I will be proud of myself for shaking things up here on my blog. Enjoy!

Today’s recipes are in honour of Father’s Day, and brought to you by registered dietician and Real Food Mom Tracee Yablon Brenner (http://www.realfoodmoms.com/).

Tracee has co-authored two comprehensive and practical guides for family nutrition, Great Expectations: Best Food for Your Baby and Toddler and Simple Food for Busy Families. She provides busy families with practical information, strategies, and healthy recipes for feeding nutritious, tasty meals and snacks quickly and easily every day.

Says Tracee: “It’s nice to start traditions, and making a family meal for Dad on Father’s Day can be a fun tradition. It can also help children begin to try new foods because helping with the food preparation usually peaks their interest to try what they have prepared.” {Wonder if it helps Moms in the same way?}

***************************

Grilled Turkey London Broil {This Mom’s note: I would actually eat this! It looks amazing!}

Turkey London Broil is a skinless, boneless turkey breast. When marinated it takes on the flavor of the marinade and is quite juicy. Turkey breast is quite lean. It’s best to buy organic pasture raised turkey. The turkey will be lean and flavorful due to the healthy environment, fresh air, water and pasture that are part of their daily routine. Pasturing allows them to live and eat grass, clover like they were intended to without pesticides and hormones or antibiotics.

If baking, pre-heat the oven to 350 F or pre-heat the grill

1 ½-2 lbs turkey breast half “Turkey London Broil”
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup low sodium tamari (wheat free soy sauce)
2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, Crushed

Place turkey breast in either a shallow baking dish or a gallon size plastic bag.

In a small bowl or glass measuring cup add marinade ingredients and whisk together.

Save ¼ cup of the marinade. Pour the remainder of the marinade into either a baking dish or plastic bag. Add turkey and marinade in the refrigerator 30 minutes to overnight turning occasionally. The longer it’s marinated the stronger the flavor

Remove turkey from marinade, discard marinade.

To allow for cooking evenly, turn over the turkey breast and open up the flap of the breast. Turn back over and lay flat.

Grill or bake turkey, allow for 15 minutes a pound and turn the breast about every 10 minutes for even cooking.

Test with a thermometer. The thickest part of the breast should read 165 F

Place turkey on a platter and cover it loosely with foil for about 10 minutes before carving.

Carve thinly on an angle.

Pasta with Broccoli and an Alfredo White Northern Bean Sauce {You lost me at “broccoli”.}

Broccoli is a powerhouse cruciferous vegetable that most children enjoy! Broccoli has anti-inflammatory properties. Broccoli is very high in vitamin C, K and A. It is also high in folate, dietary fiber, manganese, tryptophan, potassium and B vitamins. This pasta dish is served with a northern bean dairy free alfredo sauce which adds protein to this dish which could make it a complete meal for some. I used Andean Dreams Quinoa pasta which is gluten and corn free. A 2 oz serving of the pasta has 207 calories, 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. Quinoa is a complete protein rich in vitamins and minerals. The kids love this dish and don’t notice the different type of pasta.

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves (chopped or pressed)
1 head of Broccoli (peel and cut stems and cut broccoli into florets)
1 lemon juiced (3 Tablespoons lemon juice)
¾ cup low sodium organic vegetable broth
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1- 15 ounce can of Great Northern Beans (preferably Eden Organic which is in a BPA free can)
Black pepper to taste
1 package of Quinoa Spaghetti (I used Andean Dreams Gluten Free Spaghetti)

Preparation:

In a food processor or blender add beans, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, sea salt and puree until smooth.

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.

While pasta is cooking In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil and add garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add broccoli and sauté for about 2- 3 minutes.

Add pasta and ¼ cup reserved cooking water to broccoli continues cooking for another 3 minutes add more water if necessary.

Add pureed bean mixture and cook over moderate heat, tossing, until combined well.

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar: a Simply Delicious Combination

Serves 4
50 Calories
2 grams of fiber
10 Grams of sugar

Ingredients:

16 ounces fresh strawberries washed, hulled and cut in half
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey

Place balsamic vinegar and honey in a bowl stir together. Place strawberries in the bowl stir gently to combine. Cover, and sit at room temperature for about an hour but not more than 3-4 hours max.

It’s strawberry season! Enjoy some local or organic strawberries. Strawberries are on the top of the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

Strawberries are very high in anti-oxidants and fiber. If buying Conventional strawberries to remove pesticides it’s great to make a veggie wash for soft-skinned fruits and vegetables. Fill a bowl with equal parts of white wine vinegar and water. Spray the solution onto fruits and veggies fill a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water. Spray the solution onto fruits and veggies, scrub with a brush and rinse.

Flank Steak with Mango Salsa and Vegetable Kabobs

Meat and fruit is a refreshing combination; the sweetness of the fruit complements the tender succulent meat. If possible it’s to your health’s benefit to buy organic grass fed beef. Grass fed beef’s fatty acid composition is lower in overall fat and in saturated fat, providing more omega-3 fatty acids. Meat from animals that graze on grass is high in omega-3 fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which is associated with a decreased cancer risk. Grass-fed animals raised on pastures not confined to feedlots have more positive life force energy which then in turn effects your body.

Veggie Kabobs are fun for kids to put together and will help them explore tasting new vegetables.

Serves 6
Serving size: 4oz

Ingredients

1.50 lbs Flank Steak, (Grass-fed pasture raised preferably)

Marinade:

1/3 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Red wine
2 tablespoons Tamari (wheat free soy sauce)
1 clove Garlic minced
1 tablespoon Gingerroot, minced or cut in slices
2 tablespoons Honey

Mango Salsa:

2 Mangos, peeled and diced
1 Roma Tomato, diced
1 Tablespoon lime juice
2 Teaspoons Cilantro chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients together and mix gently. Adjust ingredients to your taste. Store covered in fridge until ready to use. Keeps in refrigerator about 3-4 days.

Marinade Directions:

Pierce steak with a fork. Place steak in a glass dish with marinade. Cover and marinade for best results at least 2 hours to overnight.

• Prepare and preheat grill. Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Grill for 5–7 minutes on each side, turning once, until the steak reaches desired doneness.

• Let steak stand, covered with foil, for 10 minutes, then slice very thinly across the grain. Serve with Mango Salsa.

• Flank Steak Nutrition Facts per serving Calories: 212 Total Fat 10 g Saturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 75 mg Sodium 90 mg Total Carbohydrate 0.2 Dietary Fiber 0g Sugars 0g Protein 27 g

• Mango Salsa Nutrition Facts Per serving Calories 70 Total Fat 0.5 g Saturated Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 0 g Sodium 1.8 g Total Carbohydrate 18 g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 16g Protein 1g

Vegetable Kebobs: 6 servings

1 large Red peppers cut in 1 inch chunks
1 large Zucchini
1 cup Baby portabella mushrooms, cut a small portion of the bottom of the mushroom off, clean with a damp paper towel so they don’t get mushy.
1 medium Vidalia onions cut into small pieces
6 Kabobs (if using wooden kabobs soak them in water so they don’t burn).

Marinade:

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove crushed
¼ teaspoon paprika
Black pepper, to taste

Cooking Instructions

In a large bowl or plastic bag combine the marinade ingredients. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.

Pre-heat the Barbeque on medium-hot or the broiler and the broiler pan. If broiling, position the broiler pan 3 to 4 inches from the heating element and spray with a high temperature cooking spray like grapeseed or Expeller pressed sunflower oil. Thread the vegetables and continue to make a pattern on the skewers. Broil or grill for 4-6 minutes, turning the skewers occasionally until soft and light brown. Serve hot with a whole grain such as brown rice, couscous, quinoa or millet.
*If there are leftover vegetables prepare more vegetable kabobs.

Basic Nutritional Values

Nutrition Facts per serving Calories: 40 Total Fat 2g Saturated Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 5mg Total Carbohydrate 9g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 4g Protein 2g

Thanks, Tracee! Be sure to check out http://www.realfoodmoms.com/, and stay tuned for more great recipes and nutrition tips as Food Week continues at This Mom Loves!