Brown Rice, Asparagus and Salmon with Balsamic Vinegar

This feel good recipe is so healthy, yummy and easy! Try it for your healthy Monday menu! Perfect to bounce back after the weekend!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
12 asparagus, trimmed
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 salmon fillets, skin on
Dressing:
1 shallot, chopped
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION
Add the rice to saucepan. Cover with 2 cups cold water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 40 to 50 minutes. Let sit, covered, about 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.

While rice is cooking, preheat grill to high. Oil grill.
Drizzle salmon and asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Add salmon and asparagus to grill. Reduce heat to medium high.
Grill salmon until opaque and just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes per side depending on thickness of fish. Grill asparagus until tender crisp, turning as needed, about 2 to 3 minutes.

ASSEMBLY
To make the dressing: add shallot, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, garlic, honey and olive oil to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning and acidity to taste. Set aside.
Add rice to large bowl, toss with about 3/4's of the dressing.
Cut asparagus into 2-inch pieces and toss into rice. Break salmon into smaller pieces. Delicately, combine salmon into rice and asparagus mix. Drizzle with more dressing.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Giant cookie

Few weeks ago the kiddos stayed overnight and I wanted to make them some nice treats. Something that will make their eyes popped! So, I made them this giant cookies with mixed of M & M candies, almonds, oats, milk chocolate, white chocolate and raisins.. One recipe makes two giant cookies and boy it was gone so fast!
Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature (unsalted)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup each almonds, raisins, white chocolate, milk chocolate, M&M candy, for mixing into cookie batter

PREPARATIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two oven-proof (8-inch) skillets with parchment paper. (Alternatively, cook the big cookies, one at a time.)
Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and continue to beat.
Stir in the flour and oats just until combined. Don’t over mix. Stir in almonds, raisins, and chocolates.
Divide dough in half and add each half to a skillet. Garnish top of each cookie with M & M candies.
Bake cookies until golden around the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.