Monday, April 20, 2015

Recipe of the Day: Mexican Quinoa Salad and Grilled Shrimp!

With quinoa being the new craze for people who are trying to live a healthier lifestyle, I decided to share a new, unique recipe that will fill you up without feeling guilty or awful. Quinoa is gluten-free and one of the few plant-based foods that is considered a "complete protein." It is low on carbs and high in protein so it is ideal for vegetarians or individuals following a low carb diet.  Another beauty behind this miracle seed is that it is easy to prepare. You can cook quinoa in a similar fashion to rice, but with less simmer time. I prepared this dish using shrimp, but feel free to add or take out whatever you please. It is great with anything! Enjoy.

Mexican Quinoa Salad and Grilled Shrimp
A delicious, healthy treat

Mexican Quinoa Salad & Grilled Shrimp
                        Yield: 4 Servings                    Prep Time: 30 minutes                  Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 c. dry organic quinoa, rinsed and drained*
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c. veg broth
1 T. coconut oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 can organic black beans, rinsed & drained (or 1 1/2 c. soaked & cooked black beans)
1 c. diced bell peppers, various colors
1 - 2 jalapenos, seeded & diced (for a spicier salad, just thinly slice the jalapenos)
1/2 c. finely chopped cilantro

For the vinaigrette:
4 tbsp coconut oil
Juice & zest of 1 large lime
1 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar**
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

For the shrimp:
1 lb large or jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground Chipotle or Mexican chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 lime
Kosher salt, to taste

*Prior to cooking, dried quinoa should be rinsed extremely well in cold water until the water runs clear. This removes the saponin, a natural chemical extract which protects the quinoa from predators. It can leave a bitter taste if not rinsed. For best results use a fine mesh strainer and use your hand to swish the quinoa around in the water to really get in there. Most packages will say you do not need to soak the quinoa first, but I had better results soaking for 20 minutes before rinsing the water.

**Rice wine vinegar adds a slight sweetness. If gluten-free is a concern you'll want to make sure the rice wine vinegar used is gluten-free. Your preferred vinegar can be substituted.

Mexican Quinoa Salad and Grilled Prawn


Preparation
1) In a small pot over medium heat, add the coconut oil. Once hot, add minced garlic and half of the diced onions. Cook until onions soften, 2-3 min.
2) Add quinoa and kosher salt, stirring constantly until lightly toasted, 3-4 min.
3) Add vegetable broth, bring to boil then cover loosely to allow steam to escape. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-12 min until liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 min, covered.
4) Fluff cooked quinoa and transfer to your serving bowl, allowing it to cool while prepping remaining ingredients.
5) To prepare the vinaigrette, finely mince the 2 garlic cloves then use your knife to smash the garlic into a paste. This will help the vinaigrette to emulsify (a fancy way of saying it will prevent the oil and vinegar from separating.)
6) In a small bowl, combine the lime zest, lime juice, vinegar, garlic paste, cumin and cayenne, then whisk in the coconut oil. Season to taste with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Coconut oil solidifies when it is cool, so it is best to use room temperature ingredients. The vinaigrette can be gently warmed for a few seconds if necessary to soften the oil; just place your bowl in a larger bowl of warm water and whisk.
7) Add the black beans, peppers, remaining onions, and jalapeno to the quinoa. Toss with the vinaigrette and cilantro. By the way, the salad stores well in the fridge and can be eaten warm at room temperature or cold, so take those leftovers with you to lunch!  I like to freshen it up with extra lime the next day.
8) Since the salad can be eaten warm or cold, you can do the shrimp before or after - if you want hot grilled shrimp, save that for the last thing you do as it only takes a few minutes to cook shrimp. As you heat up your grill pan, toss the peeled shrimp with the coconut oil, spices, and a good pinch or two of kosher salt.
9) In batches, grill the shrimp 1-2 minutes on the first side depending on the size. When the shrimp has seared on one side and has turned opaque, that's when you know to flip it over and finish grilling another minute on the other side. Nobody wants overcooked shrimp, so don't walk away from these.

Grilled Shrimp on pan
Make sure you do not overcook your shrimp!


10) Squeeze some fresh lime over the shrimp as you're taking it off the grill. Try to let it get to your plate before eating it.


Mexican Quinoa Salad and Grilled Shrimp


That's it...serve and enjoy. Make your plate as pretty as you want with some extra cilantro and lime as garnish. To serve the quinoa salad in a molded shape like I did, just pack it into a small cup or bowl so the quinoa is level with the top of the cup. Place your serving plate over the cup, and holding the cup, flip the plate over so the cup is now inverted over your plate. Carefully lift up the cup to reveal the quinoa salad!



Saturday, August 2, 2014

Recipe of the day: Roasted Rack of Lamb!



Garlic Survival goes good with just about anything; so we decided to use some Garlic Survival Crushed Garlic and Garlic Infused oil, marinate a rack of lamb and see how that goes. 40 minutes later and it was delicious. From crushed garlic to rosemary, this rack of lamb had robust flavors that complimented the meat perfectly. Try this dish with a side of rice, potatoes and vegetables!


  Roasted Rack of Lamb
  

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 40 Minutes

 

Ingredients:

 
 

Directions:

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Move oven rack to the center position.

  2. 2. In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, Garlic Survival Crushed Garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss in 2 tablespoons Garlic Survival Garlic Infused Oil to moisten mixture. Set aside.

  3. 3. Season the rack all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons Garlic Survival Garlic Infused Oil in a large heavy oven proof skillet over high heat. Sear rack of lamb for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes. Brush rack of lamb with the mustard. Roll in the bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent charring.

  4. 4. Arrange the rack bone side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb in preheated oven for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness you want. With a meat thermometer, take a reading in the center of the meat after 10 to 12 minutes and remove the meat, or let it cook longer, to your taste. Let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes, loosely covered, before carving between the ribs.

     

Friday, February 7, 2014

Recipe of the Day: Antonello's Spinach Lasagna

One of my favorite restaurants to go to on a weekly occasion is Antonello's Ristorante & Enoteca Lounge. Antonello's is the premiere, authentic Italian restaurant in Orange County. Constantly receiving top reviews from notable sources such as Zagat and the AAA Four Diamond Award, Antonello takes pride in both his authentic menu and exquisite dining interior. Sit down and enjoy their Capellini or enjoy a glass of wine at their unique Enoteca Lounge. This place will make you feel like you are in Italy with their food and atmosphere.

But for those of you that do not live in the area, you are missing out! Luckily, we have a solution for you. Try out a recipe that is taken straight from the kitchen of Antonello's Ristorante and their pasta sauce itself! Enjoy!


Prep Time: 20 MinAntontello's Spinach Lasagna

Cook Time: 1 Hr

Ready In: 1 Hr 20 Min

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

  • 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

  • 3 cups Antonello’s Pasta Sauce

  • 6 uncooked lasagna noodles

  • 1/4 cup water

 

Directions:

  1. 1. Mix ricotta cheese, spinach and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

  2. 2. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce in 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles and half the spinach mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining pasta sauce. Slowly pour water around inside edges of baking dish. Cover.

  3. 3. Bake at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes Uncover. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 minutes or until hot. Let stand 10 minutes.

Monday, December 30, 2013

The New Year is Coming! What Are Your Resolutions?

The New Year is right around the corner and there are so many great ideas to kick start the New Year with some good resolutions. One of the most popular New Year resolutions is to lose weight/eat healthier. I do not know about you, but I love to treat myself to a tasty dish here and there. One of my personal resolutions is to start eating a little healthier. A step here and there. Luckily, at GMB Specialty Foods, we offer many products that are not only delicious but are very nutritious. Lean On Me is an entire brand that is dedicated to being All-Natural and very healthy. These marinades, salad dressings, and mustards go well with such a variety of dishes. Feel free to check out the featured recipes under each product!

One of my personal favorite recipes that is extremely easy to make is the Garlic Survival Garlic Tomatillo Baked Chicken. This dish is so delicious! Just marinate the chicken in our Garlic Survival Garlic Tomatillo Salsa for a few hours, throw it in the oven and viola! You are done. Serve it over a bed of rice for the perfect combination of proteins and carbs. You can check out the recipe here.

Get it quick! Our limited time discount of 15% ends by the New Year. So grab some while you can and kick off the New Year on a good note. Just enter Xmas15 at checkout to receive the discount! Enjoy

Friday, December 13, 2013

Christmas is right around the corner!

Christmas is Coming!!

With Christmas coming in a couple of weeks, everyone is scrambling to get those last minute gifts for the people who are so tough to shop for. Luckily, we are offering an additional 15% off our already slashed prices so you can save and get the perfect gift for family and friends! 
Christmas Banner 2

With our wide range of products, it will be easy to get something for those "hard to shop for" people. If they are a fan of desserts, surprise them with our chocolate lover's gift set featuring our popular Fudge Fatale line. Do you know somebody who loves to barbecue? Surprise them with our garlic barbecue set that comes with a specialized recipe book and a brush to lather on the delectable marinades. Now they are really ready to fire up that grill and make everyone go "Wow"! Have a friend or family member who absolutely loves garlic? Well, we have just the answer. Get them our Garlic Lover's Gift Set and watch their jaw drop to the floor. This gift offers 12 of our most popular Garlic Survival items that will satisfy any garlic lover's needs. Or maybe you have a friend who is watching their weight for a New Year's Resolution. You can kick start their resolution with our Lean On Me Gift Pack. This pack offers our entire Lean On Me line which is all natural and very healthy. All of our gift packs include a customizable card (just enter what you want it to say in the "comments" section upon checkout).

Just enter Xmas15 when you checkout to receive an additional 15% off your entire order! Enjoy.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Christmas is just around the corner!

Christmas is coming! Everybody's favorite holiday is right around the corner. Have you started shopping yet? Head over to GMB Specialty Foods and check out the gift section for some great gift ideas that come beautifully wrapped with a customized card. You can get it for your significant other or a casual friend. We have gift packs for every type of person. Our gift sets include barbecue sets, dessert gift packs, a healthy gift pack, a garlic lover's gift pack, etc. Head on over to our gift ideas to see them all!

Garlic Barbecue Gift Set
Garlic Lover's BBQ Set

Monday, November 18, 2013

Recipe of the day: Grilled Corn and Shrimp Salad!

We have another exciting recipe for all the foodies out there: Grilled Corn and Shrimp Salad. This refreshing, tasteful dish is one of my personal favorites.  Featuring our D'Oni Moondance Marinade (our most popular marinade from the D'Oni line), this delicious dressing pairs up wonderfully with salads and vegetables. This soy, cilantro marinade is all natural, fruit sweetened, and fat free!

D'Oni- Moondance Marinade

An all natural, preservative free,innovative blend of soy sauce, cilantro, chili, garlic, green onions and rice vinegar. Moondance Marinade is an exquisite enhancement to all foods grilled, saut©ed, broiled or dipped. Moondance Marinade is delightful on everything from steak to Portobello mushrooms and works especially well with salmon, seared ahi, tofu, cucumbers and potstickers.
The flavor of Moondance Marinade penetrates through and through to enhance and not overwhelm. One you've tried Moondance Marinade we believe you will agree...this is one fantastic marinade!

Grilled Corn and Shrimp Salad


D'oni grilled corn and shrimp saladPrep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 23 Minutes

Total Time: 28 Minutes

 

 

Ingredients:

 

6 ears of corn

1/3 cup Garlic Survival Garlic Infused Oil plus additional for brushing the corn and the shrimp

1 pound medium shrimp (about 25), shelled and deveined

1 red onion, chopped fine

1/3 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped fine

1/4 cup d-Oni Moondance Marinade

2 bunches of watercress, rinsed well, spun dry, and coarse stems discarded

 
 

Directions:

 

1. Brush the corn with some of the additional oil and grill it on a rack set about 6 inches over glowing coals, turning it, for 15 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Let the corn cool until it can be handled.

2. Working over a bowl, with serrated knife cut the kernels from the cobs and with the back of the knife scrape the pulp from the cobs. Brush the shrimp with some of the additional oil, grill them on the rack, turning them, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are cooked through, and transfer them to the bowl. Stir in the onion and the cilantro.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together Moondance Marinade and olive oil. Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and combine the salad well. Divide the watercress among 6 plates and spoon the salad over it.