When two worlds collide

Sick of eating the same old things and always tasting the same flavors? Look no further. Try mixing ethnic cuisines and the result is an explosion of unexpected flavors. These Spinach Ricotta Tacos combine the best of two worlds. The creamy ricotta, a very Italian ingredient, beefs up the rest of the dish and leaves you feeling satisfied, while the tomatillos, Mexican inspired, spice up your mouth and bring those Mexican flavors to the fiesta in your mouth. So be creative and start mixing different ethnic cuisines. The result might just surprise you. Bon Appetit!

Spinach Ricotta Tacos (From Food Network Kitchens)

• 8 ounces ricotta (preferably fresh), at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings
• 2 (4-ounce) cans sliced green chile peppers, drained
• 2 bunches fresh spinach (about 1 pound), stemmed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 to 12 flour tortillas
• Salsa verde, for serving
• Directions:
• Combine the ricotta, cilantro and 1 clove garlic in a medium bowl and season with salt.
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• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and cook without stirring until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the chiles, spinach (in batches) and cumin and cook, stirring, until the spinach begins to wilt. Add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until the spinach is completely wilted, about 3 more minutes. Season with salt; transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
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• Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or wrap in a damp towel and microwave 1 to 2 minutes. Divide the spinach mixture among the tortillas, top with the ricotta mixture and a spoonful of salsa verde and fold.

Suggestion: Try mixing it up with different kinds of tortillas. Try whole-wheat for the added health benefit, or a corn tortilla for some crunch!

Cozy, Creamy, and Satisfying- Fried Rice

It used to be that my idea of a comforting dish was mashed potatoes and melted cheese. That will always be a winner in my book, but once I realized that it wasn't the healthiest food to be eating every time I wanted some warm, gooey comfort, I had to come up with another dish that did the trick.

Stir fry. Simple and sophisticated, the egg added in at the end of the cooking process leaves the rice creamy and smooth. Eaten piping hot, this dish is just plain comforting. So pull out your woks, fire up that high heat, and reinvent your favorite warm and cozy dish!

Fried Rice

Makes 3-5 servings

1 cup dried Brown Rice (cook to package instructions)

4 scallions

3 large cloves garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger (buy it fresh; it's worth it!)

1/2 red pepper

1 cup cooked, shelled edamame

1 cup fresh corn

1 handful of broccoli florets

1 handful of chopped asparagus

2 medium mushrooms

6 ounces firm tofu

2 eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

Canola Oil

Salt

Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes

Cook the brown rice according to the package instructions. While the rice cooks, chop all vegetables and the tofu into bite sized pieces. Mince the garlic and ginger. Using a wok or a frying pan heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil on medium heat. Cook the vegetables one type at a time until just tender.

When all vegetables are cooked, add the garlic, ginger, and scallions and cook until softened and you begin to smell the ginger. Place the tofu into the pan and "fry" until it begins to turn golden brown. Mix all vegetables, garlic, ginger, tofu, and add the rice to this. Make a well in the center of the rice and vegetable mixture, add 1 teaspoon of canola oil and add the eggs. Cook until nearly completely scrambled. Stir the eggs into the rice mixture, add 2-3 tablespoons of soy sauce, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Incorporate all spices into the dish. Pull out your chopsticks and dig in!

Suggestion: Not a fan of tofu? No worries! Substitute in your favorite protein. Try pork, chicken, beef, fish, black beans, whatever!

¿Qué Pasa? iGuacamole!

Three summer's ago, I spent a month living abroad in a town called Puebla. Puebla is 1 hour south of Mexico City and is really in the heart of Mexico. It's a unique city filled with a truly Mexican flavor. There are vendors selling mango's, freshly fried potatoes, and pastries on every corner. It is a city full of life and color; a city rich in history and culture!

Every day while I was there, I went to Spanish class and then I would break for lunch. Each day, I ate at the same restaurant, La Zanahoria (direct translation: carrot), the only vegetarian restaurant in the city. And yes, every day I ordered the same thing. Guacamole con totopos (like chips). They were the best chips and guacamole that I have ever tasted, and 3 years later, I still think of them every time I eat guacamole. While the guac and chips in Puebla are still the best, this recipe makes my tummy very happy. So say hello to cool, creamy avocados, rich in healthy fats (monounsaturated) that make your hair and skin gorgeous!

As close as you can get to Puebla Guacamole

Makes 2-4 servings

2 avocados

1 small onion

1 small tomato

1 small lime

1 clove of garlic

A handful of cilantro

Salt

Pepper

Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit. If you put your knife's blade (not the tip) into the pit and twist, it should just pop out. Scoop the avocado from the skin and place into a bowl. Mash the avocado until creamy and smooth. This is the trick to getting luscious Puebla guacamole. Use a potato masher for even creamier avocado.

Chop the tomato, garlic (very fine), onion, and cilantro and add to the mashed avocado. Fold all of the ingredients together. Add a little bit of lime juice to the guacamole, followed by the salt and pepper to taste. Stir it all together and have a fiesta in your mouth!

Suggestion: Making guacamole is not an exact science, it's all about what you like. Prefer it hot? Add some jalapeño! In love with the fresh and bold taste of cilantro? Try adding another handful! The best guacamole isn't a recipe, it's adding what you love!

Fancy a Frittata

I have wanted to make a frittata for the longest time! The problem always was however, that I didn't have a cast iron pan. You can make a frittata in other baking dishes, but something about a cast iron pan has just always seemed so cool, so professional. My dream finally came true the other day when I got my first cast iron pan! Only a fellow foodie would understand what an exciting day this was for me. As soon as I got home I immediately started thinking of recipes to put my new pan to the test!

I chose a simple dish, one that is filling, light, and of course heart healthy too. Packed with vegetables, truly a rainbow of flavors and colors, this dish is sure to satisfy you breakfast, lunch, dinner, whenever!

Vegetable Frittata

6-8 eggs

Salt

Pepper

1/4 cup of Milk

Olive Oil and Nonstick Spray

1/2 Red Pepper

1/2 Green Pepper

2 medium mushrooms

A handful of asparagus

1 small onion

3-4 cloves of roasted garlic, smashed

A handful of broccoli florets

1/2 zucchini

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Chop all vegetables until they are bite sized or to your liking. Sauté over low to medium heat in your cast iron pan. Be sure to coat the pan well with non-stick spray and olive-oil. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, but not limp. Season all vegetables with salt and pepper as they cook.

NOTE: It may be easier to cook each type of vegetable individually and then mix them together after they are all cooked.

Crack the eggs in a bowl and also add milk, salt, pepper, cheese, and smashed (into a paste) roasted garlic (check out my post on roasted garlic to see how to make it). Whisk until fully mixed and then pour on top of the vegetables. Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Smile, savor the flavors, and enjoy that cast iron pan!

Suggestion: A frittata is like a blank canvas. There are endless varieties. Try different vegetables, cheeses, eggs, even meats if you'd like. Be creative, because with that cast iron pan as the star of the show, you just can't go wrong!

Red, White, Blue, and Yummy too!

Someone recently told me that I make a lot of dishes with blueberries. It's true, I do. Not only are they delicious, juicy, and bursting with flavor, but they have a lot of health benefits too. They have so many great qualities, but their #1 feat is that they have the highest antioxidant capacity of all fresh fruit, helping your immunity and keeping you healthy.

Seeing as it is 4th of July, I thought I'd make something red, white, and blue, something very American: Blueberry Cheesecake. There's just something so comforting about a cool, creamy, tangy cheesecake. We can thank the Greeks for that delicious invention, a treat that they first started eating at the first Olympic Games in 776 BC, a treat that America didn't pick up on until the late 1800's. I guess we American's have a lot of time to make up for, and a lot of cheesecakes to bake. So get in the kitchen and start whipping up some cream cheese deliciousness!

Blueberry Cheesecake Bars:

1 stick of unsalted butter, melted

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 11 or 12 graham crackers)

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice (or a little more)

1 (10 ounce) jar blueberry jam (if you don't want it as sweet, cook down some fresh blueberries and make your own blueberry stew)

1 cup (1 and 1/4 pint) fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Mix butter and graham cracker crumbs in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Make sure that all of the crumbs receive an even amount of butter. Press the mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate the pan while you prepare the filling.

In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese (with an electric mixer on low to medium) just for about a minute until creamy. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat until all ingredients are blended and the batter is smooth and creamy.

Mix the jam around in the jar and then spread evenly over the crust. Pour blueberries over the jam and be sure to have an even layer. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the blueberries.

Bake for 30 minutes, until set, slightly puffed, and the edges are light brown(the cheesecake should not be browned on top). Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before covering and placing in the refrigerator to chill completely. Cut into whatever shape you like and place a sliced strawberry on the top of each piece to add some red to this dish. Happy 4th of July!

Suggestion: This cheesecake bar recipe can be made using whatever ingredients you fancy. Try experimenting with different jams and fruits; lemons, limes, strawberries, blackberries, whatever you like!

Got a Green Thumb?

I remember falling in love with herbs when I first began cooking, just a few years ago. The freshness and brightness they bring to each dish is amazing. They add a flavor and crispness that nothing else can rival. Although I've had a love affair with them for years, I never thought about growing my own herb garden until a couple of months ago.

A friend of mine gave me a set of three herbs to grow in my windowsill: chives, parsley, and basil. At first I was apprehensive. I had this idea in my head that gardening was difficult, time-consuming, and that I would kill anything my hands touched. Little did I know that I had a green thumb! Who knew?! Turns out, as long as you follow the directions that come with the plant, anyone can grow their own herbs.

As if that weren't great enough, growing your own herbs is so much cheaper than buying them in the store. Whenever you cut off some herbs, the plant immediately starts growing back, giving you an endless supply of goodness. So get out there, be adventurous, and make some incredibly tasty food!

Suggestion: Try using herbs to freshen up any dish; salads, pastas, meats, you name it! Put your imagination to the test and chop away!