Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin Oranges (and Cooking Matters)

Posted on November 3, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Over the past six weeks I have been a volunteer chef for Cooking Matters. If you haven’t heard of Cooking Matters, I suggest you check it out. Their website articulates their impressive mission:

Cooking Matters courses teach family members skills that will last a lifetime and more as they share them with relatives and friends. When families practice what they’ve learned in Cooking Matters courses—how to plan, purchase, and prepare healthy, tasty, and affordable foods at home—they are winning the fight against childhood hunger and protecting themselves from the destructive consequences of poor child nutrition.

Once a week, approximately 15 participants, a volunteer nutritionist, a volunteer assistant, the course coordinator, and myself all gathered to prepare a healthy meal together and discuss nutrition and technique. Each week we focused on something different and each week participants took home a bag of fresh groceries so that they could replicate for their families the meal we made in class. I find the whole idea brilliant!

Spending time with the participants was humbling. Their enthusiasm was contagious and their appreciation obvious.  At the end of the course, each one gave me a big hug and expressed the most sincere gratitude. It was incredibly touching.

Not only was I enthralled by the participants, but also I fell head over heels in love with the Cooking Matters recipes! They exceeded my expectations in the best way possible. Each recipe was interesting, delicious, loaded with healthy grains and nutrients, and easy to prepare. I found myself making several of the recipes over and over at home for my family. (In fact, there is a chicken recipe that I have made four times, yet every time we have eaten it before I have had the chance to photograph it!)

I found this Brown Rice and Mandarin Orange salad to be particularly wonderful. It is a perfect side to a protein, yet stands up well on its own for a vegetarian lunch or dinner. It is very filling and fresh tasting. I jazzed it up by adding one of my favorite ingredients, wild rice, however, using only brown rice works just fine. I left a large bowl of this in my fridge for a week and ate a healthy helping for lunch every day!

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If you are interested in reading about other blogger experiences with Cooking Matters you can check out these posts:

Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin Oranges:

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1/2 cup wild rice
  • 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
  • 1 cup mandarin oranges, canned in light syrup
  • 3 scallions
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup canola oil

Cook both types of rice according to package directions and set aside.

Drain mandarin oranges and reserve juice.

Rinse and chop scallions.

In a medium bowl mix Mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, scallions,
almonds and rice.

In another bowl whisk together lemon juice, mandarin orange juice,
and pepper. While still whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil until dressing
forms.

Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Let rest at room
temperature for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

 

Filed under: Main Dish, orange, rice, Side | 2 Comments »

Watermelon Sangria

Posted on August 10, 2010 by kitchenbelle

I have been really loving watermelon this season.  I have been loving it so much that more than once I have eaten an entire watermelon in one week.   Something about the sweetness, freshness, coolness, crispness, and color are so appealing. It is such a pleasant fruit!

A few weeks ago I came across a recipe for Watermelon Sangria in one of Tosca Reno’s clean eating cookbooks and it could not have been better timing. I have been really digging the mocktail lately and pair that with being super hot and thirsty all of the time and it was as if this drink was created just for me!

Note #1: If you prefer a cocktail to a mocktail add one bottle of dry sparkling white wine in place of the seltzer.

Note#2: If watermelon isn’t your thing, give POM-gria a try! (That’s pomegranate sangria!)

Watermelon Sangria:

  • Half of one large fresh watermelon, rind removed and cut into chunks
  • 3 limes, thinly sliced
  • 2 oranges, thinly sliced
  • 1 bottle of peach flavored seltzer

In a food processor, puree watermelon chunks in batches. Over a bowl strain each batch of watermelon liquid through a mesh strainer. Dispose of pulp.  Pour the watermelon juice into a large pitcher.  Add lime and orange slices and stir. Refrigerate until completely chilled.  Add seltzer just prior to serving.

Adapted from recipe found in Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook.

Filed under: beverage, orange | 12 Comments »

Mandarin Orange and Pomegranate Tart

Posted on November 2, 2009 by kitchenbelle

October

This cake on MyRecipes.com caught my eye.  I absolutely love the brilliant orange of the mandarins contrasting with the bright ruby pomegranate arils!  Isn’t it such a beautiful and striking combination for fall?  I decided to use it as an inspiration for this tart. 

Mandarin Orange and Pomegranate Tart:

For the crust I combined about two cups of ginger snap cookie crumbs with granulated sugar, melted butter and a pinch of salt.  I baked it and let it cool.  For the filling I used this pastry cream filling  recipe and poured it into the cooled crust.  I then arranged the fruit (about two small cans of mandarin oranges and the seeds of half a fresh pomegranate) on top and painted it with some melted apricot jam.  For more tart ideas check this out!

 October

Filed under: Dessert, orange, pudding, tart, vanilla | 7 Comments »

POM-gria

Posted on June 13, 2009 by kitchenbelle

j

The very generous folks from POM Wonderful sent me several bottles of POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice.  They also sent a very informative fact sheet containing some interesting information about pomegranate juice and the health benefits of drinking it.  Here are a couple of points that I found particularly interesting:

  • “Wonderful” is actually a variety of pomegranates known for its “unique combination of superior antioxidants, delicious taste, and deep crimson color.”  I found this interesting because I thought “POM Wonderful” was just the name of the company! I had no idea it referred to a type of pomegranate.
  • Pomegranate juice is often referred to as “the most potent antioxidant in nature” and is linked to improved cardiovascular and prostate health.

POM Wonderful is 100% juice and does not contain any added sugar.  Each 8 ounce bottle contains 150 calories.  I have been sipping on these adorable little bottles of juice for a few weeks now (in fact I think I can credit them with nursing me back to health during a nasty flu virus). 

Boston weather this week was much less than desirable, but suddenly, on Friday afternoon the sun came out!  I immediately determined it was SANGRIA time. What better way to kick off a beautiful weekend than with a batch of fresh sangria!?  I had a few bottles of POM Wonderful remaining and I knew they would make the perfect addition to my concoction!   

POM-gria is not only delicious, but it is probably the most nutritious a cocktail could possibly be!  The health benefits of red wine have been bludgeoned into our heads—right?  Take that wine and add “the most potent antioxidant in nature” (POM Wonderful juice), raspberries (also touted for their high level of antioxidants), orange and peach slices (hello Vitamin C), and there you have a cocktail worthy of every sip. 

POM-gria (Sangria):

  • 1 12-ounce bottle of red wine
  • 3 oranges, sliced with skin still on
  • 2 peaches, sliced with skin still on
  • 1-2 cups raspberries, frozen or fresh
  • the juice of two limes
  • 2 8-ounce bottles of POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice
  • 1/2 liter of Pomegranate flavored seltzer (Polar is great)

Put the orange slices, peach slices, and raspberries into a pitcher or container.  Pour wine, lime juice, and POM Wonderful juice over all of the fruit.  Let it sit for at least an hour.  (Over night is best.) Just before serving add seltzer.  Serve chilled.

Eating the wine-soaked fruit is the best part!

j

Filed under: beverage, orange, raspberry, Uncategorized, VEGETARIAN | 3 Comments »

Orange Coconut Cake

Posted on March 23, 2009 by kitchenbelle

m

My mom doesn’t really love desserts.  Only three things come to mind when I think of sweets that she enjoys: rocky road clusters, Mallow Cups (chocolate cups filled with coconut and marshmallow), and anything citrus, particularly those gummy fruit slices.  For her birthday, I wanted to make a cake that reflected at least one of her favorite sweet treats.  She is a huge Paula Deen fan, so when I found this coconut cake, I just knew she would love it!  Rather than keep it straight up coconut, I added some orange zest for a refreshing blast of citrus.  The flavors were fantastic and the texture was similar to pound cake.  Unlike Paula’s recipe which is three layers, I only made this a two layer cake, but I think three thin layers would be great.  The filling is especially delicious and moistens the cake to perfection.  My mom (and everyone else) really enjoyed this cake!

Orange Coconut Cake:

Cake

  • cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 cups sifted self-rising flour
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • the zest of two oranges (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    • Filling

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 cup flaked, sweetened coconut

    • Topping

  • the vanilla frosting recipe of your choice
  • Flaked, sweetened coconut 
  • 1 can mandarin orange segments

    • Make Cake:

    Preheat oven to 350 F.

    Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and orange zest and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.  (While cake is baking, prepare filling.) Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks.

    Make Filling:

    Stir together sugar, sour cream, milk, and coconut in a bowl until well blended. Remove cake layers from oven and allow cake to remain in pans as you prepare to stack and fill. Remove first layer and invert onto cake plate. Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon, poke holes approximately 1-inch apart until entire cake has been poked. Spread 1/3 of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer.

     Frost top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top and sides of cakes with additional coconut.  Decorate with mandarin orange segments.

    Adapted from Paula Deen’s “Jamie’s Coconut Cake” Recipe found here on foodnetwork.com.

    Filed under: cake, coconut, Dessert, orange | 2 Comments »