Caramelized Onion Pizza with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

We love grilling pizzas and it is much easier than it seems.  Use your preferred pizza dough - we usually use a roll of refrigerated dough or a Trader Joe's dough ball. If making gluten-free pizza, Bob's Red Mill dough mix is really good, though delicate to work with (be patient).  If you MUST have meat on your pizza, feel free to add some cooked, shredded chicken.  Since this isn't a "saucy" pizza, you may find it more like a flatbread.  Either way, it's good.

Grilled Caramelized Onion with Blue Cheese

Pizza dough; use your favorite
2 T. olive oil
2-3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 t. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. dried thyme
cornmeal for sprinkling pizza peel or baking sheet
3-4 ounces blue cheese (research gluten-free brands if you are avoiding gluten)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Oil grill grates and heat to medium.  Heat oil in a medium skillet at medium high heat. Add onions, sugar, salt and cook for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until deeply brown- about 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar, cook for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat, stir in thyme and pepper and cool the onions.  Set all the topping near the grill, as you will add your topping once one side of the pizza is cooked.

While onions are cooking, prepare dough according to directions if using a mix.  Sprinkle flour or cornmeal on counter, pizza peel, or baking sheet and roll dough into 2 smaller pizzas, as they are easier to handle than one large pizza. Don't roll too thin or it will be too hard to transport onto the grill. If not already on a peel or baking sheet, transfer dough to one and put pizzas directly on the grill and close the lid.  Once the dough is golden brown on that side, carefully flip pizzas and turn heat to low. Working quickly, spoon onion mixture onto the cooked side of the dough, dot the cheese over onions and top with walnuts, if using.  Close lid again to allow the cheese to begin to melt.  Watch the crust carefully as it will brown quickly.  Remove pizzas and let cool a couple of minutes before cutting and serving.

Blueberry-Beef Burgers and Spiced Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Tonight was burger night - I've got lots of lean, local, grass-fed beef in my freezer from my meat lady, so I try to plan a meal with ground beef once a week or every other week.  I also always have blueberries in the freezer, lovingly frozen from last summer for fear that I would run out of blueberries, which may cause the world to end.  SO - I thought this recipe looked great AND healthy. We also threw in some Thai seasoning because we like a little spice - add whatever you'd like.  The burgers were really good, very moist, with no hint of blueberry flavor (if you were worried about that).  I assume the blueberries are to just add moisture and healthy filler.  We ate these with a little BBQ sauce and arugula on sandwich thins - we didn't even use cheese, which is quite unusual for us!

Along with the burgers, we made Spiced Grilled Sweet Potatoes, thanks to a surplus of sweet potatoes in my recent market bags.  Lo doesn't really like the flavor of sweet potatoes, but if I make them spicy, he'll eat them without complaint.  These were great on the grill.  He grilled these first and then the burgers, since the burgers take much less time.  They had just enough spice to make them savory (and less sweet potato-ey).  The grill gave them a nice caramelized outside.

Blueberry-Beef Burgers

Adapted from EatingWell

2 1/2 slices whole-wheat bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces (used 3 sandwich thins)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries

1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (ran out, so used 1/2 steak sauce, 1/2 soy sauce)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

16 ounces 90%-lean ground beef

1.Place bread in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl. (No need to wash the processor.)

2.Add blueberries, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, salt and pepper to the food processor; process until pureed. Scrape into the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Add ground beef and mix well with a potato masher. Divide the mixture into four to five equal portions; form into 1/2-inch-thick patties, about 4 inches in diameter.

3.Meanwhile, preheat broiler or heat an indoor or outdoor grill to medium-high. If using the broiler, coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. If using a grill, oil the grill rack by rubbing it with an oil-soaked paper towel. Cook patties until browned and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. A thermometer inserted in the center should register 160°F, if you need numbers to be sure its done. Serve immediately, with toppings of choice - we used BBQ sauce and arugula.

Spiced Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Serves 8

4 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), scrubbed well

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

Cover potatoes with cold salted water in a large pot, then bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly resistant when pierced with a sharp small knife, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain well. When cool, slice potatoes lengthwise.  The skins may slip off as you cut them - feel free to remove them if you want.  

Mix together salt, spices and apple cider vinegar; add oil in a slow stream. Brush this mixture on sweet potatoes.

Grill potatoes on a lightly oiled grill rack over medium heat, until grill marks appear and potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Serve warm. I dipped mine in a little BBQ since I already had it on the table for the burgers. 

Easter Dinner: Hawaiian Burgers, Grilled Carrots, and Braised Fingerlings

We didn't visit either of our families for Easter this year.  Sunday holidays are tough because unless we take Monday off, the traffic is so bad coming back to Columbus that it almost makes the drive a little miserable - especially from NE Ohio.  So we have declared Easter "our holiday" for which we stay home and do whatever we want.  We went to Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace for brunch and had tasty egg scrambles - his with coney sauce and hot dogs, mine with brisket and spicy corn salsa.  They also came with crispy brown potato cubes and tortilla chips.  He had a Great Lakes brew and then one in which he ordered by asking the server "does the one tap have a mustache on it?"  When she said yes, he said "I'll take whatever that is".  I have a Orange Whip, which tasted exactly like a creamsicle - it had Orange Pop, Whipped Cream Vodka, and Cream.  Awesome.

After napping and watching some tv, we took my bike over to a parking lot to make sure I can still ride (it's been about 20 years since I've ridden a bike)! I didn't wreck, but still see lots of wrecks in my future, just like in my past.  When we got back, we made Easter Dinner: Hawaiian Burgers, Grilled Carrots with Carrot Greens Pesto, and Braised Fingerlings in Smoked Paprika Sauce.

Hawaiian Teriyaki Burgers

Makes 4 burgers

1 pound ground sirloin 

1/2 cup red onions, finely chopped 

1 egg, slightly beaten 

1/3 cup Bread Crumbs or Crushed Tortilla Chips (use chips for gluten-free)

1 teaspoon garlic, minced 

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

3/4 teaspoon chipotle spice rub (use your favorite)

1 1/2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard 

3 tablespoons Spicy Hawaiian Marinade (from World Market) or Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce (or choice of sauce) 

vegetable oil, for brushing the grill rack 

4 hamburger buns or sandwich thins (or nothing if gluten-free)

6 fresh pineapple rings, thinly sliced 

 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high.  Combine the sirloin,  onion, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, pepper, spice rub, mustard, and sauce in a large bowl. Mix until combined. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and form patties, slightly larger than bun size.

When grill is ready, brush grill rack with oil. Place patties on rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done (165‘F), about 7 minutes on each side. Grill pineapple rings after turning burgers, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. During the last few minutes of cooking, place buns, cut side down, on outer edges of rack to toast lightly.

To assemble burgers, on each roll bottom, place a burger and a grilled pineapple ring. Brush bun tops with sauce, sprinkle with ½ tbsp of cilantro and serve.

Fingerling Potatoes Braised with Pepper and Paprika
Adapted from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

olive oil spray
½ cup minced red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes or small red potatoes
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons corn starch

½ cup cold water
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves (optional)

Wash the potatoes and cut potatoes in half, except smaller or thin potatoes, which can be left whole.

Spray a pan lightly with olive oil. Over medium-high heat, sauté the red onion for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, spices, and potatoes and toss to coat. Stir in the vegetable broth, add salt to taste, and cover. Cook on low for about 25 – 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Remove the cover and increase the heat. Cook, stirring regularly, until the broth has cooked down to about half. Remove the potatoes to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon.  Stir corn starch into the cold water until smooth and add to the sauce.  Stir and continue cooking until thickened to desired level.   Add the oregano and pour over the potatoes to coat with sauce.

Grilled Carrots with Carrot Greens Pesto(makes 4 servings)

1 bunch carrots with greens attached
1 large clove garlic
about 1/2 cup and 1-2 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup pine nuts (optional)

1/4 cup parmesean cheese or parm-romano blend

Favorite spices – I used a chipotle blend, to taste

Snip the carrots from the greens leaving about 1/2-1 inch of the stem on the root. Set carrots aside. Remove any long stems and wilted leaves from the leafy greens. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and boil the greens for about 1 minute. Drain for 5 minutes. Coarsely chop the garlic clove and the greens, and transfer to a food processor as well as salt, pepper, the 1/2 cup of olive oil and pine nuts and cheese. Pulse for a few seconds, stopping to scrape down mixture with a spatula as needed, until well blended. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper and other spices, as desired.

Cut carrots lengthwise so that they’re about equal in size and thickness.  Drizzle with olive oil just to coat and season with salt and pepper.  Grill carrots on a grill heated to medium-high (or cook on cast-ron pan on stovetop).  Let cook for 1-2 minutes, or until charred marks form on the underside, and flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until each side is slightly charred and remove from heat. Serve with the pesto.

Grilled Tofu Satay

We made these for the first grilling day of the season, which sadly, wasn't until April 2, since the weather has sucked - even then it was only about 50 degrees.  But that's the great thing about having a covered patio - we technically can grill in any weather...though grills are technically forbidden at our complex now.  I got the tofu and green pepper in my Greener Grocer Market Bag, 2 weeks ago, and the onion from my Green B.E.A.N. delivery.  I didn't cut the tofu pieces small enough, so the inside of the pieces were a little bland, but I indicated smaller pieces in the recipe below (1 inch).  I also should have brushed the tofu and veggies with the peanut sauce before grilling.  We liked these, even though he's not a big fan of tofu - the outside was nice and crispy and flavorful. 

Grilled Tofu Satay

1 package of extra-firm tofu
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 red or sweet onion, cut into 1 inch squares or slices
The marinade:
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce (make sure to use gluten free!)
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
Juice of half an orange (or 2T oj)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Minced garlic or garlic powder
1 teaspoon Curry powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

The sauce:
3/4 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 cup natural-style peanut butter, smooth or chunky
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes or cayenne powder
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce (gluten-free)
Dash sirarcha sauce

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Drain tofu, wrap in a few paper towels or a clean lint-free dishtowel, place on a plate, and set something heavy on top of the tofu to press the extra water out (I used a cast iron pan). Once pressed, cut tofu in 1 inch pieces. Add the dry tofu and red pepper and onions and toss gently with a rubber spatula to coat evenly. Let marinate 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Refrigerate if longer than 1 hour.

Spray the grill grates and set to medium. To make the sauce, place all the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a serving bowl. Remove about 1/3 cup of the sauce and drizzle it over the tofu. Use the rubber spatula to toss the tofu gently with the sauce. Thread tofu and veggies pieces onto skewers (soak skewers for 10 minutes first, if bamboo). Place on grill and close lid, turning every 5-7 minutes when golden brown with grill marks.

Let the tofu cool to room temperature before serving. Serve alongside a bowl of sauce for dipping.

Grilled Tandoori Fish and Chips

This healthy grilled fish recipe turned out well -- I used mahi mahi fillets. The grilled "chips" were especially tasty.


Grilled Tandoori Fish and Chips
Adapted from Redbook
Yields: 4 servings

1 c. low-fat plain yogurt
2 t. garlic paste
2 t. grated fresh ginger
2 1/2 t. paprika
1 t. curry powder
1 t. red chili powder
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
4 (6-ounce) 3/4-inch-thick tilapia, snapper, or mahimahi fillets
Chips
2 (8-ounce) sweet potatoes or white potatoes, halved lengthwise, cut into 3/4-inch-wide wedges
2 T. unslated butter, melted
1 t. garam masala
1/4 t. coarse sea salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for brushing

In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, garlic paste, ginger, paprika, curry powder, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture to a bowl and reserve for serving.
Place fillets in a shallow dish and brush with remaining yogurt mixture to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Chips: Place potato wedges skin side down on a large microwave-safe plate; cover with vented plastic wrap. Microwave on high 3 1/2 to 4 minutes, or until almost tender; let cool.
Heat an outdoor gas grill, or prepare coals for a charcoal grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Mix butter, garam masala, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; add yam wedges and gently toss to coat.
Remove fillets from marinade; wipe off excess marinade. Brush the cooking grates clean and oil the grill rack. Lightly brush fillets with oil. Grill fillets and potatoes (keeping the grill lid closed as much as possible) until fish is opaque and still moist and potatoes are lightly charred, 6 to 8 minutes, carefully turning fillets once when fish releases easily from grill pan, and turning potato wedges as they brown. Serve with remaining yogurt mixture.

Sweet 'n' Spicy Roasted Corn

I made this recipe tonight using corn that I had cut off the cob and froze. I just thawed the corn, mixed the butter and seasonings, and just stirred it into the corn. It gave the corn a nice flavor, but wasn't too spicy.


Sweet 'n' Spicy Roasted Corn

6 large ears sweet corn in husks
2 tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Carefully peel back corn husks and remove silk. Rewrap corn in husks and soak corn in cold water for 1 hour. Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill corn, covered, over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or in the microwave, melt butter. Add the garlic, brown sugar, red pepper flakes and chili powder. Serve with grilled corn.

Calorie 163 Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 10 mg Sodium: 62 mg Carb: 29 g Fiber: 4 g Protein: 5 g