Toasted Israeli Couscous Salad with Grilled Summer Vegetables

Ingredients
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 green zucchini, quartered lengthwise
2 yellow zucchini, quartered lengthwise
6 spears asparagus, trimmed
12 cherry tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, quartered and seeded
1/4 cup basil chiffonade (stack leaves, roll in a cigar shape and cut crosswise into thin strips)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Israeli couscous
2 cups vegetable stock, heated
Hot water to cover

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard and garlic, slowly add the olive oil and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 the marinade over the vegetables and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Preheat the grill. Remove the vegetables from the marinade and grill the vegetables until just cooked through. Cut the zucchini and peppers into 1/2-inch pieces, cut the tomatoes in half. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, add the couscous and toast until lightly golden brown. Cover the couscous with the hot stock plus hot water and bring to a boil, cook until al dente and drain well. Place in a large serving bowl, add the grilled vegetables and herbs and toss with the remaining vinaigrette. Serve at room temperature.

Salmon with Sweet Chile Sauce

Serve with soba noodles tossed with low-sodium soy sauce and dark sesame oil. Add steamed broccoli florets on the side.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet, 1 tablespoon sauce, and 1 teaspoon green onions)
Ingredients

* 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skinned
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* Cooking spray
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
* 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
* 4 teaspoons thinly sliced green onions

Preparation

1. Sprinkle fish evenly with coriander and salt. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

2. Combine honey, juice, soy sauce, and Sriracha; drizzle over fish. Sprinkle with green onions.
Nutritional Information

Calories: 262 (36% from fat)
Fat: 10.5g (sat 2.5g,mono 4.6g,poly 2.5g)
Protein: 31.2g
Carbohydrate:9.5g
Fiber: 0.1g
Cholesterol: 80mg
Iron: 0.6mg
Sodium: 460mg
Calcium:18mg

Jackie Mills, MS, RD, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2008

Honey-Pecan Chicken Thighs

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 8 skinned and boned chicken thighs
* 3/4 cup honey, divided
* 3/4 cup Dijon mustard, divided
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 cup finely chopped pecans
* 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
* Garnish: Italian parsley sprigs

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients; sprinkle evenly over chicken in a shallow dish. Stir together 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup mustard, and garlic; pour over chicken. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Dredge chicken in pecans; place on a lightly greased rack in an aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.

Bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until chicken is done.

Stir together remaining 1/4 cup honey, remaining 1/4 cup mustard, and curry powder; serve sauce with chicken. Garnish if desired.

Southern Living, MAY 2002

Berry Scones with Orange Honey Butter

Ingredients
Orange Honey Butter:

* 1 quart heavy cream
* Zest of 1 orange
* 1/2 cup honey
* Pinch salt

Berry Buttermilk Scones:

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling scones
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
* 1 1/2 cups fresh mixed berries (e.g. blueberries, raspberries, blackberries), washed and dried
* 3/4 cup buttermilk, (leftover from orange butter), plus more to brush scones

Directions

You can do this the old fashioned way and add ingredients to a mason jar, cover with the lid and shake vigorously for 10 minutes, or you can use the food processor.

In a food processor bowl add all the ingredients and turn on high. The liquid will slosh, whip and then separate after about 4 minutes. When the mixture separates, (these are the butter solids and buttermilk), stop processing and strain out the buttermilk - there will be just under a cup. Reserve the buttermilk to make the scones. Strain out the butter and squeeze dry. Work the butter a couple of times to bring it together to form a nice ball. Refrigerate butter until ready to use.

For the scones:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add cold butter cubes and pulse until you have the texture of coarse bread crumbs. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, then add 3/4 cup of buttermilk and stir to combine. As it comes together add berries and fold dough to incorporate berries but not break them up too much.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Using a pastry brush, paint the tops of each scone lightly with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until golden brown, and nice and puffy, about 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack.

Serve warm with the Orange Honey Butter.

Honey Vinaigrette

Use leftover vinaigrette as a marinade for chicken or to dress a salad later in the week.

Yield: about 2/3 cup (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

Ingredients
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
Combine all ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.

Note: Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Asian Vinaigrette

Yield: 1 cup


Ingredients
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup peanut oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a jar; cover tightly. Shake vigorously.

Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Yield: 1 3/4 cups (serving size: 2 tablespoons)

Ingredients
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil (about 2 ounces)
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup no-salt-added tomato juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, peeled

Preparation
Combine sun-dried tomatoes and 2 cups boiling water in a bowl; let stand 20 minutes. Drain.
Place sun-dried tomatoes, 3/4 cup water, and next 7 ingredients (3/4 cup water through garlic) in a food processor or blender; process until smooth.

Brown Sugar-Cider Vinaigrette

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients
2/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 green onions, minced
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation
1. Whisk together all ingredients until blended.

Orange Vinaigrette

Yield: 3/4 cup

Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation
Whisk together first 5 ingredients; gradually whisk in olive oil until well blended.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
Place of the all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.
Note: Vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.