Fruit Tapioca

OK you adventurous cooks out there! Here's a unique recipe for you. I got this from my sister-in-law who is all organic, and healthy foods. This is a great treat to replace your regular sweet dessert. Now, I have to tell you that I HATE tapioca pudding-and this is not like that. It tastes a lot like Jello when you're done with it. So, if you are up for it, here's a healthy dessert-no added sugar!

Fruit Tapioca

(I triple the recipe-Devon loves this!)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups fruit juice (100% juice! I usually use white grape, but this last time I tried white grape pomegranate-very good!)

1/4 cup Tapioca-I use Bob's Red Mill small pearl tapioca get it at a natural foods store, or online at http://www.bobsredmill.com/

1 cup fresh (or frozen and thawed) fruit (I always use strawberries, my favorite.)

DIRECTIONS:

Put juice and tapioca in a large pot. Let the tapioca soak for about 5 min. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Stir often. It cooks for about 1/2 hour. (When the tapioca are all pretty much clear. It will just look all clear and not like tapioca at all.) Take off heat, and let sit for 5 min. Stir in fruit, and let chill for 3-4 hours. I let it sit out until cool enough to put into the fridge.

Pineapple Chicken

4 chicken breasts, cubed
4 green onions, chopped
3 tbsp EVOO
2 cans pineapple
1 can water chestnuts
slivered almonds

Saute chicken and green onions in oil. Once chicken is seared, add drained pineapple and chestnuts. Continue to cook until chicken is done. Sprinkle almonds on top.

Serves 4. (Served above with brown rice and snow peas.)

UPDATE: I just had it for lunch here at work and it reheats wonderfully!

Grilled Plum Kabobs

This recipe also works with any ripe stone fruit, like peaches or apricots, or mix all three.

Kabobs
(Makes 8 skewers)

8 ripe plums, quartered and pitted
2 T. grape seed oil or vegetable oil
2 pints vanilla ice cream
Caramel Sauce (recipe below)

1. Preheat grill to medium. Arrange 4 plum quarters on each of 8 skewers. Brush cut side of fruit with oil, and place fruit, cut sides down, over indirect heat (the coolest part of the grill).
2. Grill until fruit just begins to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip, and brush tops with oil. Grill until pit cavity fills with juices and fruit is soft, about 5 minutes, depending on ripeness of fruit and heat of grill. Serve with bowls of vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce
(Makes about 2 cups)

2 c. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped to loosen (or about 1 1/2 t. extract)
2 T. unsalted butter
2 t. lemon juice

1. Put sugar and 1/2 c. water into a 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, swirling pan carefully (but not stirring), until mixture is dark amber, about 12 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in cream. Add vanilla seeds and bean, lemon juice, and butter. Stir to combine. Remove bean; discard. Sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week; bring sauce to room temp, or warm over low heat, before using.

Hump Day- Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing, divided
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves

PLACE large sheet of heavy-duty foil over half of grill grate; preheat grill to medium heat. Pour 2 Tbsp. of the dressing over chicken in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with the dressing. Refrigerate 10 min. to marinate. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade.

GRILL chicken on uncovered side of grill 6 min. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil and remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing.

TURN chicken over; place, cooked-side up, on foil on grill. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Close lid. Grill an additional 8 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170ºF).

Hump Day- Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Prep time: 25 min

Total time:25 Min

2 cups farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 pkg. (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Grilled Chicken Breast Strips
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or 1 large tomato, cut into chunks
1/2 cup KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Reduced Fat Dressing, divided
1/2 cup KRAFT Natural 2% Milk Reduced Fat Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese Crumbles
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water for the last 2 min. of the pasta cooking time; drain.


TOSS chicken, tomatoes, dressing, cheese crumbles and olives in large bowl. Add pasta mixture; mix lightly.


SPRINKLE with Parmesan cheese.

I loved how easy was to make, how it tastes good as left-overs, & how healthy it is!

BBQ Chicken and Potato Wedges

Here's an easy summer BBQ menu. A lot of you probably already know this recipe, since it is a Utah classic.

7-Up Chicken

You'll need:

Chicken Breasts

Vegetable Oil

Soy Sauce

7-Up (or your carbonated beverage of choice)

This is a funny recipe because you don't really measure ingredients. But that does however make it easier to increase or decrease the amount you want to make.

1. Defrost chicken. Place in a glass baking dish. Pour about 2 T. Vegetable oil and 1/2 c. soy sauce into dish (for a 9x13 casserole dish). Fill dish with 7-Up so that the chicken is covered. Marinate 3-15 hours in the fridge.

2. Cook chicken on grill (or broiler pan) until golden brown and juices run clear. Serve with potato wedges.

Over the years my family has made this chicken using Coke and Cherry 7-Up. Any kind of pop will work...but NEVER use Diet Sodas!!! It's the sugar that makes the chicken taste so good.

Grilled Potato Wedges

You'll need:

6 large baking potatoes

Tabasco sauce (we used "Louisiana Hot Sauce")

1 stick Butter

1. Cut potatoes into eighths...like you would an apple.

2. Melt butter and mix with desired amount of Tabasco sauce. We used a little more than 1/8 cup. Brush potato wedges with butter mixture. Grill (or broil) until brown and crispy.

For a lower fat/cal option, use Pam "Butter Flavor" spray to coat the wedges and season with red pepper or other hot spices.