Category Go Green

Parties That Cook’s Holiday Raw Cleanse with Brigitte’s Naturally Alive

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in Go Green, Menus & Recipes Tagged with , , , , December 5th, 2011 @ 2:29 pm

The holiday season is in full swing with pies, cookies, and all things creamy taking center stage. Worried about how all of these tasty treats will affect how you look in that little black dress on New Year’s Eve? Give this a try: Start cleansing your diet early.

Earlier in the year, Parties That Cook founder and CEO, Bibby G., benefited from a week-long cleanse using Brigitte’s Naturally Alive green smoothies. Brigitte Center is the mind behind the delicious green smoothie program. She specializes in raw diets that help you eat and live well. Some of us in the office were surprised to see Bibby actually enjoying this suspiciously green beverage… Until we learned that while the smoothie is chock-full of essential vitamins and minerals found in leafy dark greens, it tastes more like fruit juice than spinach! Trying a green smoothie is a great way to fortify your diet with the nutrients we need, but most of us don’t get enough of. The sweetness of the added fruits will also help satisfy your sweet tooth while the holiday cookies are taunting you from the kitchen.

Check out Brigitte’s Naturally Alive website for more ideas on how to improve your health with other nutritious smoothie recipes. If you’re looking for recipes that look a little more familiar, she’s got those too. This year, mix up your holiday staples with equally satisfying drinkables that are actually healthful — like her RAW Mexican Maca Hot Chocolate.

The holidays are a time for sharing, so spread some of the good cheer by bringing a healthy appetizer to your holiday party. Not only will everyone love this Mediterranean Spread, but they will also have a little extra good will towards man (or woman, as it is the case in our office).

You may be looking to improve your diet as a lifestyle choice, to help combat one of many different diet-related maladies, or perhaps it really is for that dress. In any case, there is no time like to present to start! Don’t wait until January 1 to resolve to treating your body better, check out the links above, because healthy and holiday can go hand in hand.

Want to host a healthy holiday cooking party? Let us know! We can work with you to create a custom menu with dishes that fit your dietary goals. We hope to see you in the kitchen soon!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Parties That Cook Gears Up for Cooking Farm to Table: Classic Crostini Recipe

1 comment By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in General, Go Green, Menus & Recipes Tagged with , , , , , , , , , August 11th, 2011 @ 6:01 pm

As we gear up for our first Cooking Farm to Table Class this weekend, I think it’s time we give everyone a “taste” of what’s in store. No, we cannot send you a care package of ingredients used! (Though Canvas Ranch, the family-run farm where we are hosting this class, offers a Summer Season CSA program.) What we can do is open your eyes to one of our classic recipes to be featured this Saturday: Crostini of Goat Cheese and Tomato Jam – YUM. You can find this recipe in our Appetizer Recipe Library, and can find the tomatoes at Canvas Ranch this weekend!

Crostini of Goat Cheese and Tomato Jam

Ingredients
Tomato Jam:
1 1/2 pounds ripe beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, peeled and chopped, reserving any juice
3/4 cups sugar
1 orange, peeled and sectioned, roughly chopped, reserving any juice
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon lemon (or regular) thyme, chopped

Crostini:
1 baguette, sliced diagonally into slices 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
7 ounces goat cheese at room temperature

Thyme sprigs for garnish

Methods/Steps
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Make Jam: Place tomatoes, sugar, orange, lemon zest/juice (including tomato and orange juices) and salt in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour tomato mixture into a large-sized sauté pan over moderate-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until a jam-like thickness is achieved, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and add thyme. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until it is cool to the touch, about 15 minutes. Alternatively, place bowl in freezer for 5-10 minutes.

Make Crostini: Brush the bread slices on one side with olive oil. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and cook until the slices are golden around the edges and crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Rub one side of each crostini with a clove of garlic.

Assembly: Spread 1 Tablespoon of the goat cheese evenly over the toasts. Top with a dollop of tomato jam on the goat cheese. Garnish with a sprig of thyme. Serve immediately.

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