Lunch Wednesday March 28, 2018

Turkey Avocado Ranch Club Wraps

Today we have some wraps made with advacodoes.

Ingredients 

 

• 4 large tortillas ((I use whole wheat; white is great too!))
• 8 tablespoons Hidden Valley® Original Classic Ranch
• 8 ounces smoked deli turkey breast
• 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 large pieces romaine lettuce
• 2 small Roma tomatoes, (sliced)
• 1 large avocado (thinly sliced)
• Optional: 8 strips hardwood smoked bacon
• Optional: pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

1. If you are using bacon; start with that. Cook the bacon to desired doneness and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Dab off excess grease.
2. Set out the tortillas and spread 2 (or more if desired) tablespoons of the ranch over the tortillas.
3. Top all of the tortillas with equal parts deli turkey, 2 slices each of cheddar cheese, 1 piece of lettuce, 2-3 slices tomatoes, and 3-4 thin slices of avocado.
4. If desired, add a pinch of salt and pepper to each wrap and then top with 2 slices each of bacon.
5. Tightly roll up the wraps, slice in half, and enjoy immediately.

Recipe from: https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/chelseas-messy-apron-11239419/turkey-avocado-ranch-club-wraps-5543916983

 

Better Late Than Never: Our May Supper Club Recipes!

SOUP: Deceptively Simple Gazpacho

By Kendra PeloJoaquin at Food.com

Ingredients:

• 6 -8 tomatoes, chopped (Roma or plum are best Don’t lose the juice!)
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped finely (red is a nice alternative)
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped in 1/4 inch chunks
• 2 small cucumbers or 1 large cucumber, chopped
• salt (preferably sea salt)
• fresh ground black pepper
• virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juice of
• chopped basil or cilantro (preferably fresh)
• 2 cloves garlic (or a tablespoon of diced garlic from a jar)

Directions:

1. Dump 1/3 cup olive oil and lemon juice into a blender or food processor.
2. Add the vegetables, then the seasonings.
3. I start with a little and add more after I’ve mixed it all up.
4. Use the “chop” or”grate” function until the gazpacho is soupy but still has some good sized chunks.
5. Taste and then add more salt, pepper, oil or basil to your preference.
6. I usually serve this*very* cold as a summer appetizer or meal w/ tabasco and parmesan cheese on the side, and some good crostini or bread.

 

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SALAD: Avocado and Cucumber Salad

By Emma Braz at Taste.com

Ingredients:

• 175g baby salad leaves
• 2 medium avocados, chopped
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cucumbers, halved, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt

Directions:

1. Combine salad leaves, avocado, onion and cucumber in a bowl.
2. Place lemon juice and olive oil in a screw-top jar and shake. Season with salt to taste and drizzle on top of salad.

 

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MAIN ATTRACTION: Stuffed Tomatoes

By Sunny Anderson at FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients:

• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes
• Salt
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice tomatoes in half horizontally and scoop out pulp and seeds.
3. Salt insides and rest upside down on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack to extract juices, about 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together bread crumbs, garlic, basil, pepper, 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan and oil.
5. Stuff tomatoes with the filling, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and bake until tomatoes are cooked through and tops are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

 

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DESSERT: Rhubarb crumble

By Felicity Rooney at Taste.com

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 10 stalks of rhubarb, rinsed and chopped
• 75g caster sugar

Crumble Topping:

• 125g cold unsalted butter, chopped
  175g plain flour
• 50g brown sugar
• 25g raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C degrees.
2. Place rhubarb and caster sugar in a saucepan over medium low heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Prepare the crumble topping by roughly rubbing the butter with the flour and brown sugar, then stir through the raisins. Pour the rhubarb mixture into a 4-cup capacity oven-proof dish or four 1-cup capacity oven proof ramekins.
4. Sprinkle the crumble mixture on top and bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm with custard.

Fruit of the Week: Avocado pt. 3

Selection and Storage:
– Avocados do not begin to ripen until picked, so they will be very hard when fresh.
– When selecting an avocado avoid those with blemished textures, bruises or soft spots, and try to choose those that are uniformly hard/soft. To test an avocado, shake the fruit to make sure that the pit is not loose inside.
– If you want to select a ripe avocado, test them by gently pressing the skin. If the skin has a slight give then it is ripe, but make sure that the softness is not limited to one area of the fruit because this means that it is bruised rather than just ripe.
– The safest way to be sure of your avocado’s ripeness is to ripen them yourself. Select hard avocados from your food market/store, bring them home and store them outside of the fridge for 2-5 days.
– Storing avocados next to bananas or apples can help speed up the ripening process.

Preparation and Serving:
– In order to prepare an avocado for eating, use a kitchen knife to slice the fruit down its centre around the pit.
– After cutting it down the middle, use both hands to twist the two halves of the avocado apart.
– When the two halves have been separated, use a spoon to dislodge the pit by slipping it underneath.
– Avocados can be used to make guacamole/dips/salsas, raw in salads, sandwiches, sushi, stuffed, or spread on bread, in soups, grilled, deep-fried, baked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crema de Aguacate (Colombian Creamy Avocado Soup)
Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
– 1 tablespoon butter
– 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
– 1 garlic clove, minced
– 4 cups chicken stock
– 2 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed
– 1 teaspoon lime juice
– 2 cups heavy cream
– 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
– Salt and Pepper
– 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more.
2. Add the chicken broth, lime juice and avocados in the sauce pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 7 minutes.
3. Transfer to the blender and blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot. Add the heavy cream, cumin, salt and pepper.
4. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add fresh cilantro and serve warm.

Note: Ingredients for today’s recipe can be found at the Good Food Market at GBC (200 King Street East, main lobby every Thursday from 11:45am – 3:00pm)! Avocados ($0.75), Onions ($0.10), Garlic ($0.50), Limes ($0.25)

(Recipe taken from http://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/crema-de-aguacate-colombian-creamy-avocado-soup)

Fruit of the Week: Avocado pt. 2

Health:
– Avocados are a significant source of monounsaturated fat, associated with reducing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and potentially helping to protect against coronary heart disease
– Avocados are very rich in vitamins, with 53% of daily Vitamin K values, 33% Vitamin C, 26% Vitamin B6, 21% Vitamin E among others.
– They are also very high in Potassium at 26% of daily values. 1 avocado contains more Potassium than 1 banana.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chickpea Avocado Mash with Lemon

Ingredients:
– 15 oz. can chickpeas
– 1 ripe avocado
– Juice from 1/2 lemon
– Salt/pepper to taste
– Optional toppings/add-ins: sprouts, tomato, spinach, green onion, etc.

Directions:
1. Rinse and drain chickpeas and place in a bowl. Mash with a potato masher or a fork.
2. Cut avocado in half and remove pit. Scoop out the avocado and place in bowl.
3. Mash again to combine avocado with the chickpeas.
4. Add lemon juice and stir. Salt/pepper to taste if desired

Note: Ingredients from today’s recipe can be found at the Good Food Market at GBC (200 King Street East, main lobby every Thursday from 11:34am – 3:00pm)! Avocados ($0.75), Lemons ($0.40 each or 3 for $1.00), Plum tomatoes ($0.50), Spinach ($1.25 per bunch), Green onions ($0.50)

(Recipe taken from http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2014/03/chickpea-avocado-mash-with-lemon.html)

Fruit of the Week: Avocado

– Avocados are a fruit/large berry that grows on an avocado tree (Persea Americana)
– The avocado tree is a flowering tree with greenish-yellow flowers approximately 5 to 10 mm wide
– Avocado trees can grow as tall as 20 metres or 66 feet
– Avocado trees are best grown in sub-tropical or tropical climates that do not reach sub-zero temperatures, that are without frost and have very little wind
– Avocados are native to Central America and the earliest evidence of human avocado use dates back to approximately 10,000 BC in Coxcatlán, Puebla, Mexico
– The avocado was introduced to the US in the 1800s, but its production is largely limited to southern California due to the fact that avocados require a very specific climate to grow
– Michoacán, Mexico leads global avocado production and produces approximately 92% of Mexico’s avocados.
– The primary cultivar commercially grown in Mexico is the Hass cultivar, but other cultivars include Fuerte, Bacon, Criollor, Reed and Zutano
– Avocados are grown all year round in Mexico, meaning they are always in season
– However, the best quality avocados are grown between December and June
– Approximately 85% of Mexico’s avocado crop remains in the country while the rest is exported
– The majority of Mexican avocado exports go to the United States, but they also export to countries like Canada, Spain, France, Japan, Hong Kong and China

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avocado Quesadillas

Ingredients:
– 1/2 avocado, more if you prefer
– 1 small tomato of your choice, diced
– 1 green onion, sliced
– 2 tsp. nutritional yeast
– Seasonings of choice (Paprika, cumin, garlic powder, etc.)
– Salsa (optional)
– 1 large tortilla

Directions:
1. Smash avocado and spread out on one half of the tortilla. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and any seasonings. Add tomato, green onions, and salsa. (Or save the salsa for dipping!)
2. Fold over the top half of the tortilla, and place on a skillet or frying pan over medium heat.
3. Heat for a few minutes on each side until warmed through.

Note: Ingredients for today’s recipe can be found at the Good Food Market at GBC (200 King Street East, main lobby every Thursday from 11:45am – 3:00pm)! Avocados ($0.75), Plum Tomatoes ($0.50), Green Onions ($0.50)

(Recipe adapted from http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2014/05/avocado-quesadillas-vegan.html)