MEMORIAL DAY COOKOUT

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer and it’s time to get outside and start grilling. Now is the time to have your family and friends over for that backyard BBQ. These dishes are easy, tasty and perfect for the holiday weekend.


MEMORIAL DAY MENU
Black Bean- Chipotle Dip with Tortilla Chips
Cilantro Hummus Dip with Fresh Vegetables
Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
Summer Vegetable Salad
Grilled Potato Wedges
Fresh Fruit Trifle


Black Bean-Chipotle Dip with Tortilla Chips
Serves: 12

Ingredients
1 can (16oz) refried black beans
1/2 cup jarred chipotle salsa
1 container (1lb) prepared guacamole
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (2 oz) preshredded Mexican four-cheese blend
1 bunch scallions, all parts, sliced (1/2 cup)
bite -size tortilla chips

Directions
1. Coat a 1 quart straight-sided glass or ceramic dish with cooking spray. Add the beans and salsa. Stir to mix. spread on the guacamole and then the sour cream. Sprinkle with cheese and scallions. Serve with the tortilla chips.

Cilantro Hummus Dip with Fresh Vegetables
Serves: 20

Ingredients
1/2 cup tahini
6 tablespoons lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cup garbanzo beans (chick peas)- dreained
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Directions
In food processor, blend tahini, lemon juice, garlic, water and olive oil.
Add garbanzo beans, spices and cilantro. Blend in food processor until smooth.
Serve with a variety of fresh vegetables.

Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon dried or fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat grill to 375 degrees.
2. You can bake tenderloin in baking pan or on a rotisserie spit for even cooking.
3. Combine the olive oil, mustard, garlic, rosemary, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slather the mixture on the pork using your hands or a basting brush.
4. Bake the tenderloin, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes, until the pork is no longer pink in the center or use a thermometer reading 160 degrees in center. Cut into 1-inch slices to serve.

Summer Vegetable Salad
Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 cup fresh caulifowerets
1 cup fresh baby carrots
1 cup sliced red onion
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 cup chopped zucchini
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, carrots, onion, tomatoes and zucchini. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients. Pour over vegetables and toss to coat.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Grilled Potato Wedges
Serves: 4

Ingredients

3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedge about 1 inch thick
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon of ancho or regular chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Mix together the cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Add potatoes and toss to coat
3. Lay on grill but not over direct flames.
4. Cook 4-5 minutes and turn over cook for 3 minutes more or till golden brown.

Fruit Trifle
Serves: 8

Ingredients

5 bananas, sliced
1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 large bunch seedless red grapes
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
1 prepared angel food cake, cut into bite-size pieces
8 ounces fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the bananas, strawberries, grapes, and oranges.
2. Place one-third of the cake cubes in the bottom of a trifle bowl or deep glass bowl. Spoon one-third of the fruit mixture over the top, then one-third of the whipped topping. Repeat layering 2 more times to use the remaining cake cubes, fruit, and whipped topping. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving.( Can also be made the night before)
   

Add drinks and enjoy the day.

12 FOODS THAT HELP YOU HEAL

7. Onions

Onions get a bad rap for their effect on breath, but that's not the only part of the body where they pack a wallop. Onions contain potent cancer-fighting enzymes; onion consumption has been shown to help lower the risk of prostate and esophageal cancers and has also been linked to reduced mortality from coronary heart disease. Research suggests that they may help protect against stomach cancer. Onions contain sulfides that help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as a peptide that may help prevent bone loss by inhibiting the loss of calcium and other bone minerals.

Onions have super antioxidant power. They contain quercetin, a natural antihistamine that reduces airway inflammation and helps relieve symptoms of allergies and hay fever. Onions also boast high levels of vitamin C, which, along with the quercetin, battles cold and flu symptoms. Onions' anti-inflammatory properties help fight the pain and swelling associated with osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis. Onions are also extremely rich in sulfur and they have antibiotic and antiviral properties, making them excellent for people who consume a diet high in protein, fat, or sugar, as they help cleanse the arteries and impede the growth of viruses, yeasts, and other disease-causing agents, which can build up in an imbalanced diet.

How much: For all the health benefits onions provide, it would be ideal to eat one a day. However, if that's not doable for you, add a few onions to your weekly grocery list and try to eat a little bit every day. All varieties are extremely good for you, but shallots and yellow onions lead the pack in antioxidant activity. Raw onions provide the best nutrition, but they're still great for you when they're lightly cooked. And cooking meat at high temperatures (such as on a grill) with onions can help reduce or counteract carcinogens produced by the meat.

Tip:

• Onions should be stored at room temperature, but if they bother your eyes when you cut them, try refrigerating them for an hour beforehand.

12 FOODS THAT HELP YOU HEAL

6. Spinach

You already knew spinach was good for you, but did you know just how good? Spinach protects against eye disease and vision loss; it's good for brain function; it guards against colon, prostate, and breast cancers; it protects against heart disease, stroke, and dementia; it lowers blood pressure; it's anti-inflammatory; and it's great for bone health. Spinach has an amazing array of nutrients, including high amounts of vitamin K, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and iron.

A carotenoid found in spinach not only kills prostate cancer cells, it also prevents them from multiplying. Folate promotes vascular health by lowering homocysteine, an amino acid that, at high levels, raises the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. Folate has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers and to help stop uncontrolled cell growth, one of the primary characteristics of all cancers. The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach protect against colon cancer in addition to fighting inflammation, making them key components of brain health, particularly in older adults.

Spinach is loaded with vitamin K (one cup of cooked spinach provides 1,111 percent of the recommended daily amount!), which builds strong bones by helping calcium adhere to the bone. Spinach is also rich in lutein, which protects against age-related macular degeneration, and it may help prevent heart attacks by keeping artery walls clear of cholesterol buildup.

How much: Fresh spinach should be a daily staple in your diet. It's available in practically every grocery store, no matter where you live, it's easy to find year-round, and you'd be hard pressed to find a more nutritionally sound, versatile green. So do yourself a healthy favor and aim for a few ounces -- raw, sauteed, or lightly steamed, every day.

Tips:

· Add a handful of fresh spinach to your next fruit smoothie. It'll change the color but not the taste.

· Conventionally grown spinach is susceptible to pesticide residue; stick to organic.

12 FOODS THAT HELP YOU HEAL

#5-- Watercress

Not only is watercress extremely nutritious, it's about as close as you can get to a calorie-free food. Calorie for calorie, it provides four times the calcium of 2 percent milk. Ounce for ounce, it offers as much vitamin C as an orange and more iron than spinach. It's packed with vitamin A and has lots of vitamin K, along with multiple antioxidant carotenoids and protective phytochemicals.

The nutrients in watercress protect against cancer and macular degeneration, help build the immune system, and support bone health. The iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen to your body's tissues for energy. The phytochemicals in watercress battle cancer in three ways: killing cancer cells, blocking carcinogens, and protecting healthy cells from carcinogens. They've also been shown to help prevent lung and esophageal cancer and can help lower your risk for other cancers.

In Chinese medicine, watercress is thought to help reduce tumors, improve night vision, and stimulate bile production (improving digestion and settling intestinal gas). It's used as a remedy for jaundice, urinary difficulty, sore throat, mumps, and bad breath.

How much: Eat watercress daily if you can. In some regions, it's more widely available during the spring and summer, when it's cultivated outdoors. But since it can also be grown hydroponically in greenhouses, you can find it year-round in many grocery stores and at your local farmer's market.

Tip:

· You can cook it, but watercress is better for you when you eat it raw. Tuck it into a sandwich in place of lettuce.

· Toss it with your favorite vegetables and eat it in a salad.

· Watercress is great in pesto -- just replace the basil with watercress -- and soups.

· Use watercress as a wonderfully detoxifying ingredient in a juice or smoothie.

Vegan Wedding Part I

Hello everyone!

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kristi and I am an event planner here at Posh Productions. In the future you will be seeing more posts from me!

We have a very special bride who is having a wedding reception next month. She is special for many reasons, but especially because she lives in Northern California and is planning her wedding down here, and because she is requiring an all vegan menu!

When we first got the call for this wedding the whole office was abuzz! We have been working very hard for the last year to improve our Pure and Natural menu and develop more recipes to accommodate special dietary needs. This request was right up our alley!

We worked on the menu for a few days and sent it to the bride’s mother. Since the bride is in Nor Cal, the family locally is helping her with all the details. After receiving the proposal she called us to set up a tasting.

Saturday the MOB and the sister and brother of the bride came in to see how well we could execute this special all vegan menu. And dare I say? We hit it out of the park!

Two of the delicious Hor D’oeuvres we developed specially for this menu:

Patatas Bravas
Fingerling potatoes with a spicy bravas sauce, served on micro greens with avocado “crema”

White bean hummus with caramelized onions on flatbread

The bride asked specifically for a Vegan Paella as her entrée, so we tested and tasted and tested some more. And it was fabulous!



Hors D’oeuvres, Salad, Entrée and Dessert (more to come on that in the near future!) were all well liked. We are looking forward to working with this bride and her family, and keeping you updated on our further menu developments and projects!

Until next time!

12 FOODS THAT HELP YOU HEAL

# 4-Beans

Beans are a miracle food. They lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and insulin production, promote digestive health, and protect against cancer. If you think of fiber, protein, and antioxidants and immediately think whole grains, meat, and fruit, think again -- beans offer all three in a single package.

An assortment of phytochemicals found in beans has been shown to protect cells from cancerous activity by inhibiting cancer cells from reproducing, slowing tumor growth. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health reported that women who consumed beans at least twice a week were 24 percent less likely to develop breast cancer, and multiple studies have tied beans to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers.

Beans deliver a whopping amount of antioxidants, which help prevent and fight oxidative damage. In fact, the USDA's ranking of foods by antioxidant capacity places three varieties of beans (red beans, red kidney beans, and pinto beans) in the top four -- and that's among all food groups. Beans are a great source of dietary fiber, protein, and iron. They also contain the amino acid tryptophan; foods with high amounts of tryptophan can help regulate your appetite, aid in sleep, and improve your mood. Many are also rich in folate, which plays a significant role in heart health. And depending on the type of bean you choose, you'll also get decent amounts of potassium, magnesium, vitamin B1 and B2, and vitamin K. Soybeans are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

In Chinese medicine, various types of beans have been used to treat alcoholism, food poisoning, edema (particularly in the legs), high blood pressure, diarrhea, laryngitis, kidney stones, rheumatism, and dozens of other conditions.

How much: Aim for a minimum of two servings of beans per week.

Tip:

· Adzuki and mung beans are among the most easily digested; pinto, kidney, navy, garbanzo, lima, and black beans are more difficult to digest.

#3 of 12 FOODS THAT HELP YOU HEAL

#3-- Guavas

Guavas are a small tropical fruit that can be round, oval, or pear-shaped. They're not all that common, so they might be hard to find, depending on where you live. But if you can track them down, it's more than worth it. Guavas contain more of the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable, and nearly 20 percent more than tomatoes. Our bodies can't process much of the lycopene in tomatoes until they're cooked; the processing helps break down tough cell walls. However, guavas' cell structure allows the antioxidant to be absorbed whether the fruit is raw or cooked, and the whole fruit offers the nutrition without the added sodium of processed tomato products.

Lycopene protects our healthy cells from free radicals that can cause all kinds of damage, including blocked arteries, joint degeneration, nervous system problems, and even cancer. Lycopene consumption is associated with significantly lower rates of prostate cancer; in addition, men with prostate tumors who consumed lycopene supplements showed significant improvements, such as smaller tumors and decreased malignancy. Lycopene has also been found to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, and research suggests that this antioxidant may also help protect against coronary heart disease.

This strange-looking little fruit is also packed with vitamin C and other antioxidants. Serving for serving, guava offers more than 60 percent more potassium than a banana, which can help protect against heart disease and stroke. In fact, the nutrients found in guavas have been shown to lower LDL and boost HDL cholesterol, reduce triglycerides, and lower blood pressure.

How much: Aim to eat fresh guavas as often as you can when you can find them in stores. They're not commonly available in the freezer section; and most guava juices are processed and sweetened, so they don't provide the same superior nutrition that the whole, fresh fruit does. One to two guavas a day is a good goal.

Tip:

Opt for the red-fleshed variety if you can; both are loaded with antioxidants, but the red type has more than the white-fleshed apple guava.

#2 of 12 FOODS THAT HELP YOU HEAL

#2 Cherries

Cherries boast a laundry list of healing powers. For starters, they pack a powerful nutritional punch for a relatively low calorie count. They're also packed with substances that help fight inflammation and cancer. As if that weren't enough, in lab studies, quercetin and ellagic acid, two compounds contained in cherries, have been shown to inhibit the growth of tumors and even cause cancer cells to commit suicide -- without damaging healthy cells. Cherries also have antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Anthocyanin, another compound in cherries, is credited with lowering the uric acid levels in the blood, thereby reducing a common cause of gout. Researchers believe anthocyanins may also reduce your risk of colon cancer. Further, these compounds work like a natural form of ibuprofen, reducing inflammation and curbing pain. Regular consumption may help lower risk of heart attack and stroke.

In Chinese medicine, cherries are routinely used as a remedy for gout, arthritis, and rheumatism (as well as anemia, due to their high iron content). Plus they're delicious.

How much: Aim for a daily serving while they're in season locally. And keep a bag of frozen cherries in your freezer the rest of the year; frozen cherries retain 100 percent of their nutritional value and make a great addition to smoothies, yogurt, and oatmeal.

Tip:

• Buy organic or wash thoroughly, since conventionally grown cherries can be high in pesticides.

12 FOODS THAT HELP YOU HEAL

As part of a healthy diet, whole foods play a significant role in helping our bodies function at their best. There are hundreds of extremely nutritious whole foods, but the dozen on this list do more than contribute healthy nutrients -- they help you heal. In fact, every food on this list boasts multiple healing effects, from fighting cancer to reducing cholesterol, guarding against heart disease, and more. Eat these super-healing picks and start feeling pretty super yourself. Each day we will have the twelve foods that help you heal.

Day 1. Kiwifruit

This tiny, nutrient-dense fruit packs an amazing amount of vitamin C (double the amount found in oranges), has more fiber than apples, and beats bananas as a high-potassium food. The unique blend of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals found in kiwifruit helps protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and respiratory disease. Kiwifruit's natural blood-thinning properties work without the side effects of aspirin and support vascular health by reducing the formation of spontaneous blood clots, lowering LDL cholesterol, and reducing blood pressure. Multiple studies have shown that kiwifruit not only reduces oxidative stress and damage to DNA but also prompts damaged cells to repair themselves.

Kiwifruit is often prescribed as part of a dietary regimen to battle cancer and heart disease, and in Chinese medicine it's used to accelerate the healing of wounds and sores.

How much: Aim to eat one to two kiwifruit a day while they're in season, for the best taste and nutrition. California-grown kiwifruit are in season from October through May, and New Zealand kiwifruit are available between April and November.

Tips:

· Kiwifruit contains enzymes that activate once you cut the fruit, causing the flesh to tenderize.So if you're making a fruit salad, cut the kiwifruit last.

· The riper the kiwifruit, the greater the antioxidant power, so let them ripen before you dig in.