recipe of the day – Page 3

Tuscan Kale Soup

Published on December 4, 2014November 30, 2014 by T.W.O.2 Comments

Tuscan Kale Soup

Ingredients:
– 1 Tablespoon olive oil
– 1 medium sweet yellow onion, diced
– 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
– 1 (32 oz) box low-sodium chicken broth or homemade broth*
– 4-5 cups kale, chopped and packed
– 2 (14.5 oz) cans fire roasted canned tomatoes
– 1 (14.5 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
– 1 – 1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced

Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 4 minutes.
2. Add broth, kale, tomatoes and carrots and cover. Cook about 10 minutes.
3. Add beans and cook on low for 30 minutes.
4. Serve hot.

* Homemade broth – we hard boiled a chicken carcass for 45 minutes with bay leaves, celery, sweet onions, garlic cloves, salt pepper and 8 cups of water. Reduce heat to low and cook for up to 3 hours.

Crunchy Pumpkin Cranberry Granola

Published on October 28, 2014October 27, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Greek yogurt and fruit is a very common breakfast for T.W.O. But lately, this dish has been missing something- crunch! So since it is Fall (even though the weather doesn’t feel like it in California!), we decided to add some Fall flavor to granola! This recipe is so simple and yet so flavorful! The best part about it too is that it is healthy, gluten free and full of nutrients to help start your morning off right. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Crunchy Pumpkin Cranberry Granola

Ingredients:
– 3 cups rolled oats
– 2 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1 tsp ground allspice
– 1 tsp ground nutmeg
– ½ tsp ground ginger
– ½ cup pure maple syrup (or agave/honey)
– ½ cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
– ½ cup applesauce, unsweetened
– 2 Tbsp brown sugar
– 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
– 1 cup dried cranberries
– ½ cup pumpkin seeds (optional)

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients (oats through ginger) and set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine the next 5 ingredients (maple syrup through vanilla) with a whisk.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. With a spatula, combine thoroughly before folding in the dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds.
5. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Cool completely before storing.

Arugula Salad with Sliced Green Apples

Published on October 2, 2014September 28, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

T.W.O. created this Arugula Salad to complement their surf and turf dinner. It’s a simple recipe that includes green apples and shaved parmesan reggiano cheese with a homemade lemon dijon vinaigrette.

Arugula Salad with Sliced Green Apples

Ingredients:

– 6 cups arugula
– ¼ cup lemon juice
– ¼ cup white vinegar
– 4 Tablespoons olive oil
– 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
– 2 green apples, diced
– 1 cup shaved parmesan reggiano cheese
– 2 teaspoon garlic powder
– Salt
– Pepper

Directions:
1.Add the arugula to a bowl. Thinly slice the green apple and add to the lettuce. Top with shaved parmesan.
2.For the dressing: mix the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Make sure all the ingredients are mixed well.
3.Once the dressing is done, add to the salad mixture. Toss and serve!

Shrimp Cocktail

Published on September 30, 2014September 30, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

For the month of September, T.W.O. decided to think outside the box and serve non-cheese appetizers. It wasn’t hard to come up with ideas and we can’t wait to keep sharing them in future posts! In this post, T.W.O. created a shrimp cocktail for some special guests. It’s an easy, light dish that everyone (seafood lovers) can enjoy. No recipe required, its just all about the prep and showcase. Here are a couple tips for your next shrimp cocktail.

1. Find a good shrimp cocktail mix. T.W.O. purchased Marinade Bay Products – Seafood Cocktail Sauce at Whole Foods.

2. Make sure to put the shrimp cocktail on ice – it will keep the shrimp cold during your happy hour.

3. Lemon slices add color and a tasty flavor to the dish. Organic meyer lemons are our favorite.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Published on September 25, 2014September 24, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

Summer is over, but that doesn’t mean you have to change your menu completely! Here in Southern California the weather is still warm, so T.W.O. decided to whip up the Mediterranean quinoa salad. It’s easy, refreshing and easy for those weeknight meals!

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:
– 1 cup quinoa
– 2 cups chicken broth
– 2 cups chopped mini heirloom tomatoes
– 1 cup Persian cucumbers, quartered
– 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
– 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
– 1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
– 1/2 cup feta cheese
– 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
– 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
– 4 Tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
– Salt
– Pepper

Directions:
1. Cook quinoa as directed using the chicken broth instead of water.
2. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onions, olive oil and balsamic. Season with salt and pepper. Let marinate for 5-10 minutes. Add the mint.
3. Once the quinoa is done cooking, remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Add to the vegetable combination and mix well. Top with feta and lemon juice and you have yourself a European salad!!

Kale Chips

Published on September 23, 2014September 23, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

Here is another recipe to add to our cheese-less appetizer idea book – – – salty kale chips! With only four ingredients, this small dish is a great nibble for your guests while they wait for dinner to be served!

Kale Chips

Ingredients:
– 1 head lacinato kale
– 2 Tablespoons blood orange infused olive oil
– 4 Tablespoon fig infused balsamic
– 2 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 315 degrees.
2. Wash and dry the kale. Chop kale into large chunks. Put in a bowl to toss.
3. Add olive oil, balsamic and salt to the kale and toss.
4. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes depending on your oven. Watch carefully so they don’t burn.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Roasted Squash & Cranberries

Published on September 18, 2014September 17, 2014 by T.W.O.2 Comments

It’s not officially Fall, but that isn’t stopping T.W.O. to slowly start introducing Fall Foods into their recipes. Since it’s still warm out, we decided to take this semi-Fall dish and throw it over a bed of lettuce. Check out how we created this delicious, sweet tasting transitional salad.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Roasted Squash & Cranberries

Ingredients:
– 4 cups spinach
– 2 boneless chicken breasts
– 2-3 Persian cucumbers
– 1/2 cup dried cranberries
– 3/4 cups mini heirloom tomatoes, halved
– 1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, diced
– 1 small butternut squash
– 2 Tablespoons olive oil
– 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
– 1 Tablespoon nutmeg
– 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
– I Tablespoon chili flakes
– pear champagne vinaigrette dressing
– Krazy Salt
– Pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the BBQ to medium heat.
2. Season the chicken breasts with garlic powder, chili flakes, Krazy Salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Cut the butter butternut squash into flat slices so they can be put on the grill. Season with olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg. Set aside.
4. Once the BBQ is heated, place the butternut squash on the grill along side the chicken. Make sure not to turn the heat up too much, you don’t want to burn your squash. Cook for 20 minutes or until done.
5. While the chicken and squash are cooking, chop all the vegetables for your salad. Plate and add dried cranberries.
6. Remove the chicken and squash from the grill. Slice the chicken and cube the squash. Add to the salad topped with the pear champagne vinaigrette.
7. Grab your utensils and enjoy!

Cioppino

Published on September 16, 2014September 16, 2014 by twinswithoriginality1 Comment

If cioppino is on a restaurant menu, it will be ordered! T.W.O. absolutely loves this dish, but has not yet experienced making a pot of their own. So we decided to take a stab at it – it was a success! This cioppino recipe is simple, full of flavor and is definitely a favorite recipe to file in the book!

Cioppino

Ingredients:

-3 tablespoons olive oil
-1 large fennel bulb, chopped
-1 sweet onion, chopped
-3 large shallots, chopped
-4 large garlic cloves, minced
-3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
-1 small can tomato paste
-2 cans diced fire roasted tomatoes, in juice
-2 cups dry white wine
-4 cups chicken broth
-1 teaspoon dried basil
-Salt & Pepper
– Mixed seafood (mussels, shrimp, calamari, rockfish)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a very large pot over medium heat. Add the fennel, onion, shallots, and salt and saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and pepper flakes and saute 2 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste. Add tomatoes, wine and chicken stock. Season with salt, pepper and basil. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the flavors blend, about 30 minutes.
Add the mussels to the cooking liquid. Cover and cook until the clams and mussels begin to open, about 5 minutes.
Add the shrimp, calamari and fish. Simmer gently until the fish and shrimp are just cooked through, and the mussles are completely open, stirring gently, about 5 minutes longer.
Season the soup, to taste, with more salt and red pepper flakes.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Quinoa Circus Bowl

Published on September 11, 2014September 9, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

One Sunday afternoon we decided to spice up our quinoa bowl with some fresh veggies and chicken. It wasn’t complete without the sriracha garnish. Check out how to make this healthy and flavorful dish for your next Sunday Night Dinner.

Quinoa Circus Bowl

Ingredients:
– 2 cups quinoa
– 4 cups water
– 2 teaspoons garlic powder
– 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
– 1 cup carrots, chopped
– 1 cup hearts of palm, sliced
– 2 cups Brussel sprouts
– 2 cups broccoli
– 4 Tablespoons olive oil
– 1/4 cup lemon juice
– 2 chicken breast*
– Krazy Salt
– Pepper
– Sriracha

* Marinate your chicken breast with Lawrys Season Salt.

Directions:
1. Preheat the bbq. Chop the brussel spouts and broccoli. Dress with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and Krazy Salt. Add the chicken to the bbq along with the brussel sprouts. (Brussel sprouts should go on a grilling pan or foil.
2. In a sauce pan, bring the water to a boil. Once the water is ready, add the quinoa, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Mix and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Mix in the remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice.
4. Remove the chicken and brussel sprouts once done.
5. Plate the quinoa, top with the vegetables and sliced chicken. Top with sriracha.

Cheers ,

The Ultimate Veggie and Hummus Platter

Published on September 9, 2014September 9, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

For the month of September, T.W.O. is going to focus on appetizers that don’t involve cheese. Crazy right? I know we all love a charcuterie plate filled with cheese – goat cheese, port salud, manchego and gouda just to name a few, but we are going to think outside the box this month and feature some alternative appetizers. Our first post is filled with veggies – carrots, snap peas and hummus. It’s a light appetizer that won’t fill up your guests prior to dinner. Did we mention it is healthy too? Grab your favorite hummus and lets start appetizing.