Author Archives: Mindy

grilled steak salad with white beans & manchego / pesto vinaigrette

Contents of your meal kit:

flank steak
mixed baby squash
portobello mushroom
garlic-balsamic glaze
white beans
tomato
pesto vinaigrette base
baby romaine mix
toasted pine nuts
shredded manchego

Equipment needed: outdoor grill (see notes), salad bowl

Finishing steps:

Preheat grill to med-high. Coat squash and portobello with garlic-balsamic glaze and a little bit of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Rinse and drain white beans. Slice tomato into wedges.
Pour pesto vinaigrette base into the bottom of your salad bowl and add an equal amount of olive oil. Whisk or mix with a fork to combine. Remove ½ of the dressing and reserve before adding the white beans and tomatoes to the salad bowl. Toss gently and set aside.
Rub flank steak with oil, salt & pepper. Place steak on one side of the grill and cook for 4-6 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Transfer to plate and allow to rest. Then slice across the grain into thin strips.
Meanwhile, place vegetables on the other side of the grill (use a sheet of foil if you are worried vegetables will fall through the grates). Cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until done to your liking. Transfer to a plate. When cool enough to handle, cut vegetables into bite size pieces.
To compose the grilled steak salad, toss baby romaine mix with the beans and tomatoes. Divide between serving plates then top with grilled vegetables, sliced steak, toasted pine nuts, and manchego cheese. Drizzle with reserved pesto vinaigrette to taste.

Notes: A grill pan, skillet, or your oven’s broiler can be used instead of an outdoor grill. Cooking times may vary.

apricot chicken / orzo salad with roasted zucchini and tomatoes

Contents of your meal kit:
chicken breasts
apricots
zucchini
cherry tomatoes
whole wheat orzo
chopped parsley
red onion
toasted pine nuts
lemon
apricot glaze

Equipment needed: small or medium saucepan, baking sheet, mixing bowl, medium to large skillet

Finishing steps:

Preheat oven to 425. Boil a saucepan of water for orzo. (Use a lid to speed up the time it takes for water to boil.) Cut apricots in half, remove the pit and slice into thin wedges, set aside.
Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then crosswise into ½ inch slices. Place zucchini on a foil-lined baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast for 5 minutes, then flip, add tomatoes to the baking sheet, and roast an additional 5 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to burst.
Once water is boiling, add orzo to the saucepan and boil for about 5-7 minutes or until al dente. When orzo is done, drain immediately and transfer to a mixing bowl.
When the zucchini and tomatoes are done to your liking, add them to the mixing bowl with orzo. Add chopped parsley, red onion, and toasted pine nuts to the bowl. Finish with a squeeze of lemon, and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine and season with salt & pepper to taste.
Season both sides of chicken with salt & pepper. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add chicken and cook 3-5 minutes per side.
Add fresh apricots and apricot glaze to the skillet, along with 1-2 tablespoons of water. Simmer until the fruit begins to break down, about 2 to 3 minutes.
To serve, slice apricot chicken and spoon the sauce over each portion. Enjoy the orzo salad on the side.

mustard salmon with white bean ragu / mixed greens salad

Contents of your meal kit:
salmon
garlic
white beans
escarole
shallot
tomatoes
thyme sprigs
mustard sauce
red wine vinaigrette base
baby romaine
lemon

Equipment needed: large skillet with lid, baking sheet, salad bowl

Finishing steps:

Preheat oven to broil. Chop garlic. Rinse and drain beans. Roughly tear escarole.
Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. When oil is hot, add, shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and thyme sprigs. Saute until the liquid begins to evaporate, 1 minute or so.
Add the white beans, water (1/2 cup for 2 portions, 1 cup for 4 portions, 1 ½ cups for 6 portions) and escarole to the skillet, cover and continue to simmer over medium-high heat, until the escarole is just wilted, another 4 minutes or so. Season with salt & pepper, turn off the heat, and leave covered until salmon is ready.
On a foil lined baking sheet, season the salmon with salt & pepper. Broil the fish for about 2-4 minutes, until the top just starts to brown. Spoon the mustard sauce onto the salmon and broil for another 3-5 minutes, until the fish is cooked to your liking and the top is browned.
Meanwhile, pour vinaigrette base into the bottom of your salad bowl and add an equal amount of olive oil. Whisk or mix with a fork to combine. If this looks like too much dressing, remove some before adding the greens. Toss gently and season with salt & pepper to taste.
Divide the white bean ragu between serving plates and top with the mustard salmon. Squeeze a little lemon over the top. Enjoy the salad on the side.

black bean patties / corn relish & cilantro yogurt / grilled romaine hearts

Contents of your meal kit:
black bean patty mixture
romaine hearts
roma tomato
onion & bell pepper mix
cilantro
pickled jalapeno
lime
corn
popped quinoa
cilantro yogurt

Equipment needed: mixing bowl, grill or grill pan (see notes), shallow dish, medium or large nonstick skillet

Finishing steps:

Slice romaine hearts in half lengthwise. Rinse well, and then place cut side down on a towel to drain.
Dice tomato and place in a mixing bowl with the onion & bell pepper mix. Roughly chop cilantro leaves and as much jalapeno as you’d like, add to the bowl. Give it a good squeeze of lime, season with salt & pepper. Set aside.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to med-high heat. Brush the corn, and the cut side of romaine with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Grill corn until all sides have some grill marks, and set aside. Then grill romaine cut side down, until slightly wilted and you have some nice grill marks. Transfer to serving plates.
When corn is cool enough to handle use a sharp knife and carefully slice lengthwise between the kernels and cob, removing just the kernels. Add to bowl with the other relish ingredients. Stir to combine.
Place popped quinoa in a shallow dish, and use a ¼ cup measure to scoop and form patties of the black bean mixture, about 2 patties per person. Lightly press both sides of each patty into the popped quinoa and set aside.
Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a medium or large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. When oil is hot, add black bean patties. Cook, turning once, 2-4 minutes per side, or until crispy on the exterior and heated through.
Serve black bean patties with the grilled romaine, and top the plates with plenty of the corn relish. Add a dollop of cilantro yogurt to finish. Enjoy!

Notes:

Don’t have an outdoor grill, or grill pan? Use a skillet (cast iron, or nonstick) or your oven’s broiler instead.
Grilling romaine gives it a great smoky flavor, and brings out the sweetness of this lettuce. If you prefer not to serve whole, you can cut into bite size pieces before serving.

chicken & black bean patties / corn relish & cilantro yogurt / grilled romaine hearts

Contents of your meal kit:
chicken breast
black bean patty mixture
romaine hearts
roma tomato
onion & bell pepper mix
cilantro
pickled jalapeno
lime
corn
popped quinoa
cilantro yogurt

Equipment needed: mixing bowl, grill or grill pan (see notes), shallow dish, medium or large nonstick skillet

Finishing steps:

Slice romaine hearts in half lengthwise. Rinse well, and then place cut side down on a towel to drain.
Dice tomato and place in a mixing bowl with the onion & bell pepper mix. Roughly chop cilantro leaves and as much jalapeno as you’d like, add to the bowl. Give it a good squeeze of lime, season with salt & pepper. Set aside.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to med-high heat. Brush the corn, and the cut side of romaine with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Pat chicken dry and season with salt & pepper.
Grill corn until all sides have some grill marks, and set aside. Grill chicken about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Finally, grill romaine cut side down, until slightly wilted and you have some nice grill marks. Transfer to serving plates. When corn is cool enough to handle use a sharp knife and carefully slice lengthwise between the kernels and cob, removing just the kernels. Add to bowl with the other relish ingredients. Stir to combine.
Place popped quinoa in a shallow dish, and use a ¼ cup measure to scoop and form patties of the black bean mixture, about 2 patties per person. Lightly press both sides of each patty into the popped quinoa and set aside.
Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a medium or large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. When oil is hot, add black bean patties. Cook, turning once, 2-4 minutes per side, or until crispy on the exterior and heated through.
Serve black bean patties and grilled chicken with the grilled romaine, and top the plates with plenty of the corn relish. Add a dollop of cilantro yogurt to finish. Enjoy!

Notes:

Don’t have an outdoor grill, or grill pan? Use a skillet (cast iron, or nonstick) or your oven’s broiler instead.
Grilling romaine gives it a great smoky flavor, and brings out the sweetness of this lettuce. If you prefer not to serve whole, you can cut into bite size pieces before serving.

garlic-marinated pork loin chop / snow pea, snake bean & sesame noodle salad

Contents of your meal kit:
thin-cut pork loin chops
garlic-pepper paste
cherry tomatoes
snow peas
snake beans
thin noodles
orange soy glaze
sliced scallion
sesame seeds

Equipment needed: stockpot, colander, medium or large mixing bowl, medium or large nonstick skillet

Finishing steps:

Fill a large stockpot with water, cover and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, coat the pork chops with garlic-pepper paste, and set aside to marinate. Slice cherry tomatoes in half, and slice snow peas lengthwise into thin pieces. Cut snake beans in ½ and then in ½ again.
When water is boiling, add noodles and snake beans to the stockpot and give everything a good stir. Cook 2-3 minutes or until pasta is al dente.
Drain immediately, and rinse with cold water. (You could place on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.)
When the excess water has drained from noodles and snake beans, place in a mixing bowl along with tomatoes and snow peas. Toss with half of the orange soy glaze.
Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook pork chops for 2-3 minutes per side. Add the remaining orange soy glaze and sliced scallion to the skillet and turn off heat. Rest pork a minute or so – it will continue to cook. Turn pork to coat with glaze, then slice.
Divide noodles between plates and top with sliced pork. Drizzle the reduced glaze from the pan over the top of the plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

garlic-marinated chicken / snow pea, snake bean & sesame noodle salad

Contents of your meal kit:
chicken breast
garlic-pepper paste
cherry tomatoes
snow peas
snake beans
thin noodles
orange soy glaze
sliced scallion
sesame seeds

Equipment needed: stockpot, colander, medium or large mixing bowl, medium or large nonstick skillet

Finishing steps:

Fill a large stockpot with water, cover and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, coat the chicken with garlic-pepper paste, and set aside to marinate. Slice cherry tomatoes in half, and slice snow peas lengthwise into thin pieces. Cut snake beans in ½ and then in ½ again.
When water is boiling, add noodles and snake beans to the stockpot and give everything a good stir. Cook 2-3 minutes or until pasta is al dente.
Drain immediately, and rinse with cold water. (You could place on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.)
When the excess water has drained from noodles and snake beans, place in a mixing bowl along with tomatoes and snow peas. Toss with half of the orange soy glaze.
Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken for 3-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Add the remaining orange soy glaze and sliced scallion to the skillet and turn off heat. Turn chicken to coat with glaze, then slice.
Divide noodles between plates and top with sliced garlic marinated chicken. Drizzle the reduced glaze from the pan over the top of the plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

grilled shrimp salad / watermelon, corn & cucumber / green goddess dressing

Contents of your meal kit:
shrimp
baby romaine head(s)
dry rub
watermelon
cucumber
corn
arugula
green goddess dressing
feta

Equipment needed: small mixing bowl, salad bowl, grill pan (see note)

Finishing steps:

Slice romaine in half lengthwise, rinse, and lay cut-side down on a towel to dry.
Remove shrimp from package and blot dry with a paper towel. In small mixing bowl, toss shrimp with dry rub and season with salt. Set aside.
Cut watermelon into bite-sized pieces, and slice cucumber thinly crosswise. Set aside
Place grill pan over med-high heat. Rub corn with oil, and season with salt & pepper. Once pan is hot, grill the corn, turning frequently until you have some “grill marks” on all sides. Drizzle shrimp with a little oil, and give a quick toss before adding them to the hot grill pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from heat.
Slice baby romaine crosswise into ½ inch pieces. Add romaine and arugula to salad bowl. Toss with as much dressing as you like, reserving some to drizzle over the top. Divide greens amongst plates.
Once the corn is cool enough to handle, use a knife to slice kernels off the cob.
Top salad plates with watermelon, cucumber, corn, feta and shrimp. Drizzle the finished grilled shrimp salad with remaining dressing. Enjoy!

Notes: If you don’t have a grill pan, you can always use an outdoor grill or a nonstick skillet (If you use a skillet you’ll get a nice sear, it just won’t look like “grill marks”).

portobello saltado / oven fries / summer “ceviche” salad

Contents of your meal kit:
russet potato
nectarine
bell pepper
cherry tomatoes
edamame
ceviche dressing
roma tomatoes
portobello mushrooms
red onion
peruvian pepper sauce

Equipment needed: baking sheet, mixing bowl, serving bowl, large nonstick skillet

Finishing steps:

Place a baking sheet in the oven, and then heat to 425 – you’ll be preheating the baking sheet too. Cut potato(es) into wedges and toss in a bowl with a little olive oil, salt & pepper. When the oven is hot, carefully transfer potatoes to the HOT baking sheet. Roast 15 minutes, flip and roast 5-10 more minutes or until golden and crispy.
Meanwhile, prepare summer “ceviche” salad. Thinly slice the nectarine and bell pepper. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Place nectarine, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and edamame in a serving bowl. Toss with ceviche dressing and salt & pepper to taste. Set aside to marinate.
Cut roma tomatoes into wedges.
Once you have flipped potato wedges, heat a small amount of oil in the largest nonstick skillet you have over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add sliced mushrooms and onions and cook golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add tomato wedges. Cook until tomatoes have softened, about 1-2 minutes. Add peruvian pepper sauce, turn off heat and stir to combine.
Divide the oven fries between plates and top with portobello saltado. Enjoy summer “ceviche” salad on the side.

Notes: Lomo Saltado and ceviche are traditional Peruvian dishes. Lomo Saltado is typically made with beef and served with french fries. A real ceviche would include seafood that has been “cooked” by the lime juice in the marinade.

beef lomo saltado / oven fries / summer “ceviche” salad

Contents of your meal kit:
flank steak
russet potato
nectarine
bell pepper
cherry tomatoes
edamame
ceviche dressing
roma tomatoes
portobello mushrooms
red onion
peruvian pepper sauce

Equipment needed: baking sheet, mixing bowl, serving bowl, large nonstick skillet

Finishing steps:

Place a baking sheet in the oven, and then heat to 425 – you’ll be preheating the baking sheet too. Cut potato(es) into wedges and toss in a bowl with a little olive oil, salt & pepper. When the oven is hot, carefully transfer potatoes to the HOT baking sheet. Roast 15 minutes, flip and roast 5-10 more minutes or until golden and crispy.
Meanwhile, prepare summer “ceviche” salad. Thinly slice the nectarine and bell pepper. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Place nectarine, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and edamame in a serving bowl. Toss with ceviche dressing and salt & pepper to taste. Set aside to marinate.
Cut roma tomatoes into wedges. Thinly slice flank steak across the grain and season with salt and pepper.
Once you have flipped potato wedges, heat a small amount of oil in the largest nonstick skillet you have over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add sliced flank steak and cook 1-2 minutes side or until done to your liking. Transfer to a plate. Add sliced mushrooms and onions to the skillet (along with more oil if necessary) and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add tomato wedges and cooked steak to the skillet. Cook until tomatoes have softened, about 1-2 minutes. Add peruvian pepper sauce, turn off heat and stir to combine.
Divide the oven fries between plates and top with portobello saltado. Enjoy summer “ceviche” salad on the side.