Tag: red onion

Grilled Veggie Towers with Mozzarella

Eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red onion and bell peppers are marinated in a white balsamic vinaigrette then grilled, stacked and topped with fresh mozzarella. These are DELICIOUS and such a great use of the end of summer’s bounty!

If you prefer to make them indoors, you can also grill the vegetables on a grill pan, then preheat to oven to 350°F, make your vegetable stacks on a baking sheet and melt the cheese in the oven. The vegetables can also be grilled a day ahead and reheated in the oven as well.

Grilled Veggie Towers with Mozzarella
gordon-ramsay-recipe.com
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 tower • Old Pts: 4 • Weight Watchers Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 194 • Fat: 11 g • Carb: 17 g • Fiber: 4 g • Protein: 9 g • Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 234 mg • Cholesterol: 22 mg

Ingredients:

1 small eggplant, about 9 oz
1 large red onion, sliced into 6 slices
1 large (10 oz) zucchini
1 large (10 oz) yellow squash
3 red bell peppers
6 oz fresh mozzarella cheese – cut into 1 oz thin slices
4 large basil leaves plus 1 leaf chiffonade for garnish (optional)

For the Balsamic Marinade:

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp oregano
4 basil leaves
1/4 tsp kosher coarse salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Wash and cut ends off vegetables. Cut the eggplant and red onion into 6 slices. Cut the zucchini and squash into 1/2-inch thick slices on the bias (diagonally). Cut the red pepper in half and remove innards. Cut in half once again.

Place all ingredients of marinade into blender or place them into a container and use emulsion blender until all ingredients are blended until smooth.

Combine the vegetables and marinade in a deep bowl or large plastic bag. Allow to sit for at least 1 to 2 hours.

Remove vegetables from marinade with tongs and place vegetables directly on grill. Discard excess marinade. Place the red peppers, skins down, on the grill first since they will need the longest cooking time (about 6 minutes on each side, or until the skin is slightly charred.) Grill the additional vegetables 4 to 5 minutes, until browned and soft, remove from grill and set aside.

Using a small tin begin to create your tower of vegetables. Begin with the largest vegetable at the bottom. That will most likely be the eggplant, then the onion, red pepper, zucchini, and then the squash. Place a piece of basil in between any of the vegetables. Top the tower with the slice of mozzarella cheese, place back on grill and cover grill so the cheese melts, about 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with basil if desired.

Incoming search terms:

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Salad

The is the perfect summer salad! Juicy grilled chicken, garden cucumber and tomatoes, red onion, olives and Feta cheese all tossed with quinoa and lemon juice. It’s packed with protein (20 grams!), not to mention tons of wonderful flavor.

To make the grilled chicken extra flavorful, I like to marinate it
overnight with lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs like rosemary or oregano. This is great to bring to a potluck, to enjoy as a light meal. You can make the chicken and quinoa ahead if you wish, and mix everything together when you’re ready to eat.

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Salad
gordon-ramsay-recipe.com
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 heaping cup • Old Pts: 4pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 180 • Fat: 8 g • Carb: 8 g • Fiber: 1 g • Protein: 20 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 255 mg (without salt) • Cholesterol: 7 mg

Ingredients:

16 oz skinless thin sliced chicken cutlets
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or oregano
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup red onion, diced
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cucumber, peeled and diced (from 1 English)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup crumbled feta
kosher salt and fresh pepper, to taste

Directions:

Rinse quinoa for about 2 minutes, using your hands to make sure all the saponins are removed.

Fill a medium pot with water, add quinoa and salt to taste and bring to a boil. When the water boils, reduce heat to low and cover; simmer covered 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered an additional 5 minutes without lifting the lid; then fluff with a fork and set aside in a large mixing bowl to cool.

Meanwhile, season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, garlic and rosemary. Drizzle both sides with the lemon juice and 1 teaspoon olive oil and pat into the meat with your fingertips. Refrigerate 20 minutes while you prepare the grill.

Preheat the grill on high heat, clean the grates and oil them to prevent sticking (or use a grill pan indoors sprayed with oil).

Arrange the chicken on the grill and cook until cooked and firm, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, then slice into 1-inch pieces.

While the quinoa cools, dice all the vegetables. To the large work bowl with the cooled quinoa, add the red onion, olives, cucumber and tomatoes to the cooled quinoa, and squeeze the lemon over it.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the quinoa, then add grilled chicken, feta, salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Taste for salt and adjust as needed, add more lemon juice if needed.

Makes over 6 3/4 cups

Chilled Watermelon Cucumber Feta Salad

Chilled watermelon and chunks of cucumber are tossed with feta cheese, Kalamata olives, fresh mint and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It’s that salty-sweet thing going on here that’s so good – and will keep you cool as a cucumber during these dog days of summer.

This is the ONLY salad I want this week; temperatures are going to be in the high 90’s all week long here in New York. During these sultry months, I usually make my watermelon salad with arugula, feta and red onion^[1], but I loved this new combination with cucumber, mint and olives for an alternative, and a great way to use up any cucumbers you may have lying around.

You can double this to make a big bowl for a crowd, or cut it in half if you want to serve two. This makes a great side dish to grilled chicken, or seafood.

Chilled Watermelon Cucumber Feta Salad
gordon-ramsay-recipe.com
Servings: 4 • Size: 1 1/4 cups • Old Points: 3 pts • Weight Watcher Points+: 3 pt
Calories: 112 • Fat: 3.5 g • Carb: 19 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 4 g • Sugar: 15.5 g
Sodium: 233 mg • Cholest: 6.3 mg

Ingredients:

4 cups chilled seedless watermelon, diced large
1 medium chilled English cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled feta
1 tablespoon fresh mint (or basil) leaves, thinly sliced
3 tbsp balsamic glaze

Directions:

Divide the watermelon and cucumbers equally between 4 plates or in one large serving bowl; top with olives, feta and mint. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over everything when ready to serve.

References

^{^} watermelon salad with arugula, feta and red onion (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)