Shrimp Salad with Grilled Polenta

Shrimp Salad with Grilled Polenta

This meal was one of the most exciting creations I have done so far this year, simply because it was the first time I was able to incorporate some fresh produce from my garden into the recipe.  Anyone with a backyard garden knows how exciting the first harvest is, no matter how small.  Initially I thought this up as a quick meal for small family in order to use up some cooked frozen shrimp I had in the freezer.  But the day before, my husband mentioned that a friend and his family were coming over to help him do some building work, so I quickly had to rethink how to stretch the meal to feed a few more people.  I am sure this recipe would taste even better with grilled shrimp, fresh garden tomatoes and peppers, so I definitely plan to try it again later this summer, although by then some of my fresh lettuces may all have been harvested.  Regardless, this time around the fresh herbs, spicy arugula and bitter kale were in perfect balance with the sweet shrimp and grilled polenta.  I had never tried grilling polenta before but my instincts were right and it turned out amazing.  Our guests literally said "I am going to have to try this at home" so I know it was a hit.  And it was actually a perfect meal for entertaining because the shrimp salad can be made a few hours ahead of time and then all you have to worry about is grilling the polenta and tossing a salad. And it tasted like summer on a plate. What better way to start off the season than with a simple, elegant and healthy meal that honestly tastes better outside when shared with friends and family.  Happy Summer everyone!!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Brownies

I saw a version of this recipe the other day on a Dr. Oz post and the healthful simplicity of it caught my eye.  It is very similar to both my Chocolate Almond Fudge Drop and Peanut Butter Fudge Drop cookie recipes I developed a few months back that were a huge hit with my friends and family so I had a suspicion these brownies would be just as great. Actually, I think they are better... and they are definitely quicker and simpler to make since the preparation process just involves pouring the easy to mix together batter into a pan and letting the oven do the magic. Dr. Oz's recipe called for a few different ingredients that I do not normally have on hand and that I think are even more expensive than the ones I included here, so although I would be interested in someday trying yacon syrup and organic raw cacao powder, I used maple syrup and dark cocoa powder instead.  I know that according to some research, my ingredients are not quite as healthful and full of antioxidants, but at least you can buy them in a regular store and they are still better than a lot of not so natural alternatives.  I used organic all natural peanut butter instead of almond butter, but any nut butter would work and I plan to try making them again in a few days with my homemade Nutella and see how that turns out. I have attempted to make chewy, fudgy, flavorful brownies using small amounts of whole wheat flour for years and it has never quite worked out, but these are perfect, and honestly some of the best I have ever eaten.  My kids and I ate a quarter of the pan within hours of it coming out of the oven in an attempt to "test" them, because they were way too good to not keep cutting small squares.  And they are so high in protein due to the peanut butter and eggs that I wrapped up a bunch to bring with us to our track meet last night to enjoy afterwards.  Both of the kids and I competed in a total of 11 events so if you happened to be there and were wondering why I was trying to run so fast, it was because I knew that one of these delicious and fairly nutritious treats was waiting for me at the finish line!

Chocolate Stout Donuts

Chocolate Stout Donuts

I am sure there are very few guys in this world who do not love both beer and donuts.  I know my husband does, so to make this Father's Day special for him, I decided to combine the two and make donuts using beer.  Maybe that sounds crazy, but trust me, they were delicious.  The dark stout beer gives the chocolate flavor an extra depth and these whole wheat donuts puffed up beautifully and were light, fluffy, and quickly devoured by my hungry family. There is a large amount of organic canola oil in the recipe which gives the donuts that slightly greasy, indulgent flavor that you expect without the unhealthy side affects of deep frying. I especially liked the filled ones using homemade Nutella. I honestly didn't know if they would cook properly but they definitely did and if anything I will just use more filling next time.  And of course you could use store bought Nutella or any other nut butter you prefer.  And these can even be cooked in muffin tins if you don't have a donut pan, but I always find that making homemade donuts is such a great way to get my kids to eat something healthy while disguising it as a treat.  And of course "frosting" and sprinkles always helps it feel like a celebration... which in this case it was.  So plan ahead for next Father's Day and make these treats for all the special dads in your life.