Yield: 4 servings
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup vanilla whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 cup almond milk, more as needed
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup ice
Place all ingredients into a blender pitcher and secure the lid. Turn machine on low and slowly increase to high speed. Use the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades. (If the mixture is too thick to blend, add more almond milk until the contents blend smoothly.) Pour smoothies into tall glasses and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
1-1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating pan
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped dried thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
1-1/2 cups mixed green and black olives without the pits
4 (5 to 6 ounce) cod fillets, or other firm white fish
Freshly ground white pepper
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, for serving
To prepare tomato jam, place tomatoes, honey, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, tomato paste, cider vinegar, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture reduces and thickens to a jam-like consistency, about 60 to 75 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place a rack in the center. In a large saucepan, place olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine, remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1/2 cup tomato jam and stir well. Simmer tomato mixture until slightly reduced and thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in thyme leaves and olives.
Coat the bottom of a ceramic baking dish large enough to hold the fish with a thin film of olive oil. Season fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Place fish in the prepared pan and cover with tomato mixture. Cover baking dish and place in preheated oven. Roast until fish just begins to flake, about 12 to 15 minutes.
To serve, transfer fish using a fish spatula to individual shallow serving bowls. Spoon about 4 to 6 ounces of tomato mixture on and around fish. Top with tomato jam and sprinkle with feta cheese. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large shallot, minced
1 medium garlic, minced
3/4 cup pearl barley
2-1/4 cups chicken broth
1 bayleaf
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium carrot, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoon lemon juice, divided
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (5 ounce) chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth, low-sodium
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees and position an oven rack in the center.
Place a medium heavy saucepan on the stove over a moderate heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and when shimmering, add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the barley and cook, stirring constantly, until well coated in the shallot and garlic, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of chicken broth and bay leaf and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, stir and cover. Cook until the barley is almost tender with a slight bite, about 25 minutes. Stir in the celery and carrot and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the barley pilaf from the heat, stir and remove bay leaf. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
While the barley is cooking, place a large nonstick skillet on the stove and add the remaining oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, carefully add the chicken, top side first, until golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken breast and transfer to the oven to bake until cooked through and registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 8 to 10 minutes. When cooked, transfer chicken to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and rest until ready to carve.
Place the skillet on top the stove over a moderate-high heat. Add the white wine and cook until almost dry, about 4 minutes. Add the broth and thyme and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, taste and season with salt and pepper.
To serve: Divide the pilaf between 4 warmed plates. Carve chicken, arrange over the barley, spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
1 cup brown rice
2 cups boiling water
1 medium (2 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in the upper third.
To cook squash: Place the squash in a large bowl and toss with olive oil until all pieces are well coated and shiny. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the squash in an even layer on a silpat-lined baking sheet. Cooked squash has a tendency to stick to parchment paper. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast until golden-brown and tender, about 30 minutes.
To prepare kale chips: Place the kale in a medium bowl, toss with olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and slightly browned around the edges. Sprinkle with salt while warm and then allow to cool completely.
To cook the risotto Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, pinch of salt, and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes, then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until the onions are well browned.
Add 4 cups broth (or 3 cups broth and 1 cup water), cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the rice. Cover the pot and bake until rice is tender and cooked through, about 65 to 70 minutes. It will seem pretty dry when you take off the lid, but don’t worry!
Remove the pot from the oven. Pour in the remaining cup of broth, the Parmesan, wine, salt, and a generous amount of pepper. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Add the butternut squash to the cooked risotto, using a silicone spatula to fold the squash through the risotto and being careful not to mash-up the squash. Taste and season with salt and pepper
To serve: Divide the risotto between 4 warmed pasta bowls. Top with kale chips and serve immediately.
Pancreatic cancer survivors and their family members joined Agi Hirshberg for a special hands-on cooking class filled with nutrition tips from expert Dr. Zhaoping Li, the Director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition with Chef Claire Hansen of Sur la Table.
Recipes include: