Tag: Back to school easy recipes

Fig Recipes!

‘Tis the season!  
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Fresh figs are out in full force in Pittsburgh.  A little early this year -usually they are peaking around mid-September. My favorite annual fig recipe is no recipe at all just fresh figs halved and drizzled with Balsamic Vinegar.  With this year’s batch, I made a few quick and easy recipes that anyone can enjoy!

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Fig & Prosciutto Salad with Aged Gouda and a Garlic Honey Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
3 cups baby greens /arugula mix, or your favorite salad base
6 slices prosciutto
2 Fresh Figs, sliced
2 tbsp. Beemster XO cheese ribbons, or grated

For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup olive oil

Vinaigrette Directions:
Combine all in a sealable container, shake until well blended.

For the salad, build with greens base.
I like to roll the prosciutto (it kind of looks like flowers!) and place into the greens.
Add cheese ribbons and fig slices.
Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

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Spiced Fig French Toast
Ingredients:
8 thick slices Italian bread
4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy creme
3 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp. ground ginger
1/2 tbsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tbsp. cinnamon
butter to coat the pan
fig spread or fig jam
maple syrup

Directions:
Mix eggs and cream until pale yellow.
Add all other ingredients and mix well.
In a pie dish, soak each side of the bread.
Heat butter in your largest pan.
Add bread slices, 2-3 at a time being sure not to crowd the pan.
Flip when the side is brown.
Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon.
Smear fig spread.
Pour warm maple syrup.

Enjoy!

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Prosciutto Ricotta Flatbread with Fresh Figs

Ingredients:
Prepared Flatbread or pizza shell
3 tbsp. Olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 slices of prosciutto
1 cup ricotta
2 fresh figs sliced
1 cup arugula
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Directions:
Layer starting with brushed olive oil and garlic.
Add prosciutto slices and spoon ricotta.
Top with sliced figs and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake 425 degrees on a pizza stone until shell is golden and cheeses are melted.
Finish by sprinkling arugula and more fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

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Toasted Pecan Honey Figs over Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 fig sliced
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Sugar
2 tbsp. Fig spread
2 tbsp. Honey
Few pecans
Vanilla ice cream

Directions:
On a parchment covered cookie sheet, place fig slices and pecans in a single layer.
Warm honey and fig spread in a small saucepan.
Drizzle pecans and figs with honey mixture.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Bake 350 degrees until figs soften, 5-8 minutes.
Top ice cream with all, drizzle additional warmed honey.

Enjoy!

Other recipe suggestions:
Simple Fig Toasts- fig spread, topped with your favorite cheese, meat, and sliced figs

Fig muffins/bread – sub fig for Banana or strawberries

Prosciutto Wrapped and Drizzled Figs

Enjoy!
Ciao!

Back to School! Superfood Quinoa Eggplant Involtini!

#MeatlessMonday
#MeatlessMonday

Quinoa is a superfood packed with nine amino acids making it a complete protein. Although this is common in meats, plants do not typically contain complete proteins. Quinoa comes most commonly in red, black and white. Quinoa has a nutty taste and the white cooks the fluffiest with a more rice-like texture.

Quinoa needs rinsed before cooking. It absorbs the water and is ready to eat!
Quinoa needs rinsed before cooking. It absorbs the water and is ready to eat!

I frequently substitute quinoa for meat, as well as rice. Give your family a healthier alternative and more energy!!

Photo by Amy Wilson Photography Http://www.amywilsonphotography.com
Photo by Amy Wilson Photography
Http://www.amywilsonphotography.com

Superfood Quinoa Eggplant Involtini
(Inspired by Mary Ann Esposito of Ciao Italia)

Ingredients:
2 Medium eggplant, slices 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup quinoa
1-1/2 cup water
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
2 tbsp. Aroma seasoning by Ciao Pittsburgh (OR 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tbsp.parsley)
Salt/pepper
2 tbsp. Olive oil
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and add quinoa.

Cook on low heat until water is absorbed.

Add tomato paste, spices, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well.

This is the quick filling version. If you have a few extra minutes sauté the garlic with some finely chopped onions and peppers.  (1 small onion 1 small pepper)
This is the quick filling version. If you have a few extra minutes sauté the garlic with some finely chopped onions and peppers. (1 small onion 1 small pepper)

Coat a baking sheet with olive oil, place eggplant slices on sheet and brush tops with olive oil.

Bake the eggplant slices until they are bendable, perfectly rollable.
Bake the eggplant slices until they are bendable, perfectly rollable.

Bake 15 mins. or until eggplant is softened.

Let cool and stuff with quinoa mixture. (Place mixture in the middle and roll.) You will be surprised by the malleability of the eggplant after being baked.

Quinoa filling!
Quinoa filling!

Coat a casserole dish with olive oil. Place rolls in a single layer, drizzle olive oil on the tops, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

This recipe fed our family of four as a Meatless Monday main course served with a side of broccoli.
This recipe fed our family of four as a Meatless Monday main course served with a side of broccoli.

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Take foil off for the last 5 minutes.

The flavors are incredible!
The flavors are incredible!

Serve as a side dish or with a salad or vegetable!

Ciao!