Good Dinner Mrs. Mellen

Last year I purchased a Philips Air Fryer and since then I've enjoyed creating recipes specifically for the air fryer. I love sweet potato fries and adapted a recipe for the air fryer. These sweet potato fries are healthy, spicy and tasty.    INGREDIENTS: 3 medium peeled sweet potatoes   2 tablespoon olive oil 1   tsp sea salt 2 cloves crushed garlic 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 teaspoon thyme 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt DIRECTIONS: Preheat air fryer to 400°F 8 minutes. Lightly spray the fryer basket with oil. Slice each potato into even 1/4 inch thick fries. Toss with oil, salt, garlic, paprika and red pepper. Cook in 3 or 4 batches, without overcrowding the pan 8 minutes, turning half way. Place on serving plate and top with pink Himalayan sea salt. Enjoy!

Living in New England hot soup on a cold snowy day is the perfect accompaniment to a salad for a heathy filling lunch. I like to make soups that are flavorful and healthy. I altered the ingredients in this soup, using almond milk instead of cow's milk. The almond milk adds just enough smoothness to the soup. I will warn you I love garlic. If you don't want as much garlic you can add only four roasted garlic cloves: Roasted garlic has a more mellow flavor, not as pungent as boiled or sautéed.   3 tablespoons olive oil 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets 3 leeks, thinly sliced, just the white part 1 bulb garlic, roasted and peeled*   3 cups vegetable stock   1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon fresh thyme Directions Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add cauliflower, leeks, and garlic; sauté until the vegetables have caramelized (roughly 15 minutes)....

Moroccan Cauliflower Roasting vegetables enhances the flavor without losing the nutritional benefits. Cauliflower, basically bland, is the  chameleon  of the vegetable world assuming the flavor and taste of spices pared with during cooking. A perfect companion for creating an array of interesting vegetable dishes. Adding a Moroccan melody of spices to cauliflower with a touch of honey and pistachios the cauliflower is transformed into an exotic side dish bursting with flavor.    1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets (about 8 cups) 1/4 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 cup golden  raisins, Sun-Maid 1/2 cup chopped pistachios 1/4 cup green onions, diced 1 tablespoon honey Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Toss cauliflower with ingredients and place in a baking dish. Roast for 20 minutes until tender an...

If you follow my blog you can see that I am very much into roasting vegetables which greatly increase flavor. I love to roast  Cauliflower combining olives and tomatoes seasoned with thyme then finishing with a splash of Fig Vinegar. If you haven't tried Balsamic Fig Vinegar I highly recommend replacing regular balsamic vinegar with this outstanding flavorful variety. Sweet figs are blended with tart balsamic vinegar for a uniquely rich multilayered flavor adventure. I substitute balsamic fig vinegar in cooking as well as in fresh salad dressing.  Roasted Cauliflower with Balsamic Fig Vinegar 8 cups 1-inch-thick slices cauliflower florets, (about 1 large head; see Tip 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon dried french thyme ¼ teaspoon salt 1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped 1/2 cup rainbow petite tomatoes, sliced Freshly ground pepper to taste 2 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss cauliflower, oil, french...

My town like many towns has a wonderful weekly farmer's market each week where local farms sell fresh produce. Beautiful ripe heirloom tomatoes glistening with morning dew, the deepest aubergine eggplant, plump zucchini along with a red, orange and yellow peppers just beckoning to be grilled. 3 red peppers 3 orange peppers 3 yellow peppers 2 large eggplants 2 large zucchinis 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh french thyme, finely chopped Remove stems and seeds from peppers then slice in quarters. Slice eggplant and zucchini horizontally. Place vegetables in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, basil and thyme. Pour over vegetables then toss. Let sit for 30 minutes to marinate flavors. Preheat grill. Grill vegetables turning ever five minutes until tender. Arrange on platter. Serve at room temperature. You can grill a...

                                                Winter is Coming Vegetable Stew Like The Seven Kingdoms of Westerly, winter is coming to New England. To ward off the frigid snowy weather I love to create tasty, healthy, soups and stews that are filling but low in fat, salt and calories but not short on flavor.  My vegetable stew fits that description perfectly. Totally healthy, vegan, flavorful with just the right kick from hot sauce.  I make a big batch and free for future dinners when snow drifts are blanketing our homes. 2 tablespoon olive oil 4 cloves garlic crushed 1 large shallot chopped 8 oz baby portabella mushrooms, sliced 1 can(14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes, Hunt’s no salt added 2 cups vegetable broth 1 tablespoon chili powder 1...

In the book The Blue Zones by Dan Beuttner, Blue Zones are the longest living cultures in the world, one common dietary staple in all the areas is beans, all different kinds of beans. I love to use any kind of bean in my recipes, from soups, chillies, pastas and especially salads. Chickpeas( garbanzo beans ) are one of my favorite to use in my recipes like this Live to 100 Chickpea Salad.  I've added some crunch and sweetness to this salad with pecans and dried cranberries. Nuts also play an important role in Blue Zone cultures! You can like I do use this salad as a base for a more hearty dinner salad combining a protein such as tuna, chicken, tofu just to name a few. If you want to keep the salad vegan you can add more crunchy veggies such as red peppers, carrots, fennel and so many more different colors and textures. Experimenting you can find so many different uses for this basic salad while adding years on your life! Live to 100 Chickpea Salad Ingredients:...