I’m usually a turkey burger girl with a bun and all the trimmings but currently I’m working hard at the endless process of losing the next 5 pounds. I can tell you that those 5 pounds truly love me because they certainly don’t want to leave me. I work out 5 days a week and eat healthy (the majority of the time) but love good breads and wines.  I can’t give up my wine! No, lets get it right, I will not give up my wine but am willing to give up bread for awhile. So here’s a different variation on the classic turkey burger. I build the same turkey burger without the bun but surround it with sauteed garlic kale, mushrooms and top it all off with grilled onions.  Delightful!  A different approach to a basic turkey burger with mad flavor.

Thank goodness it’s Friday! Have a restful weekend!

Ali in the Valley

Photo by: Ali

Recipe for Turkey Burger w/Kale, Mushrooms and Onions

Ingredients:

• 1 large maui or yellow onion, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus more for grill
• 1/2 pound shiitake or button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 pound ground turkey meat
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
• 1 bunch or bag of kale
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine or 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• Seasoning salt and ground pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Finely chop onions into thin rounds. In a large skillet, add 1/2 tbs olive oil and heat over medium-high; cook onions and mushrooms, 1/2 minced garlic and kale.  Add 1/2 cup white wine or 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar to skillet then cover with lid, stirring occasionally so the garlic doesn’t burn. Cook until onions are soft, mushrooms are golden, kale is wilted down; about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and keep warm.

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 minced garlic to turkey, and parsley. Form into four 1/2-inch-thick patties; season with seasoning salt and pepper. In the same skillet, add additional 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Cook turkey patties about 4 minutes, flipping once until burgers are cooked through. Serve patties on top of the kale with mushrooms and grilled onions.

I hope you have a wonderful day being celebrated for all of the amazing things you do.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Ali in the Valley

I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an’ pretend
‘Cause I’ve heard it all before
And I’ve been down there on the floor
No one’s ever gonna keep me down again

Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am woman

You can bend but never break me
‘Cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
‘Cause you’ve deepened the conviction in my soul

Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am woman

I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin’ arms across the land
But I’m still an embryo
With a long, long way to go
Until I make my brother understand

Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can face anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am woman

I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman

  I Am Woman Lyrics

by Helen Reddy

Mother’s Day weekend is here and I need a refreshing cocktail to help celebrate the hardest job in the world. I used to think I could do any and everything, but being a Mom has humbled and taught me that I need a little help sometimes. So in honor of all the beautiful woman who have taken on this job either willingly or unknowingly this Tea Tini cocktail is for you. I love sweet tea and spiking it with vodka…you just can’t go wrong. It’s the perfect cool down cocktail to drink all summer long. I especially love this Tea Tini on spring and summer afternoons when a light, short drink is called for. I use a light iced tea in this refreshing vodka martini and, of course, fresh squeezed lemon juice. You could also add a splash of flavor by adding a small amount of berries, lavender, rosemary or chamomile to the steeping tea or by using your favorite tea blend.

Happy Mother’s Day!

 Ali in the Valley

Photo by: Ali

Recipe for Tea Tini:

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce sweet iced tea
• 1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• Lemon wedge for garnish
• Sugar for rimming

Directions:

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass rimmed with sugar.
Garnish with the lemon wedge.

To rim the glass with sugar: moisten the rim of the glass with a lemon wedge, then fill a bowl with sugar and while holding the glass parallel to the table dab the rim of the glass into the sugar while turning slowly so that only the outer edge is covered.

Wow! I’ve been humping it lately, so busy that I can’t even remember all that I’ve been so busy doing! Sounds crazy right? Yes, yes a little crazy!  So, when I’m in a pinch to get dinner on the table I get back to the basics with quick and easy dinner recipes that I know the whole family will love.  There’s nothing fancy about Oven Baked Chicken Wings with Brown Rice and Broccoli but this is one of my family’s favorite dinners.  Season the chicken wings with salt and pepper and let them bake to perfection – add healthy brown rice and delicious garlic broccoli and there won’t ever be leftovers because everyone will want more.

Remember:  Wish It, Dream It, Do it…

Ali in the Valley

Photo by: Ali

Recipe for Oven Baked Chicken Wings:

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 lb. chicken or chicken wings only
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup of chicken stock or white wine for the gravy (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse chicken pieces in water and pat dry with paper towels. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with olive oil. Rub some olive oil over all of the chicken pieces in the roasting pan. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange the pieces skin-side up in the roasting pan so the largest pieces are in the center (the breasts) and there’s a little room between pieces so they aren’t crowded in the pan.  Cook for 30 minutes at 400°F. Then lower the heat to 350°F and cook for 10-30 minutes more (approximately 14 to 15 minutes per pound total cooking time) until juices run clear (not pink) when poked with a sharp knife or the internal temperature of the chicken breasts is 165°F and the thighs 170°. If your chicken pieces aren’t browning to your satisfaction, you can put them under the broiler for the last 5 minutes of cooking, until browned sufficiently. Remove roasting pan from oven. Remove chicken from roasting pan to a serving plate. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. To make gravy for the chicken, take the roasting pan with its drippings and place on a medium setting on the stovetop. Use a metal spatula to scrape up the drippings stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add a half cup of white wine or chicken stock* to the pan to help deglaze the drippings from the pan.

Garlic-Butter Broccoli Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch broccoli (1 pound), cut into small pieces, stalks peeled and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook the broccoli in lightly salted boiling water until crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain. Add the butter and garlic to the saucepan and cook until the garlic is softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss with salt and a few grinds of pepper.

Brown Rice Recipe: 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water

Directions:

Put rice and water into a small pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot and simmer until liquid is completely absorbed and rice is just tender, about 40 minutes. No peeking until then; valuable steam escapes! Set covered pot aside off of the heat for 10 minutes then uncover and fluff rice with a fork.

For most Cinco de Mayo is an excuse to knock back a few too many tequila shots or non-stop Margaritas. This Cinco De Mayo, we prefer our celebration a little more low-key since it’s on a Sunday and tomorrow is back to the grind Monday.

Okay, You know I’m having a Margarita and maybe just one shot of Tequila!

Here are some of my “Cinco De Mayo” favorites!

Happy Sunday,

Ali in the Valley

Photos by: Ali

Recipe for Tortilla Flat Stacks:

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large bell pepper, seeded and diced small
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 packed cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Juice 1 lime
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
4 whole-grain corn tortillas
1 tsp ground cumin
2 oz reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend or part-skim mozzarella, shredded (1/2 cup)
Olive oil cooking spray
8 egg whites
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine beans, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Gently fold in avocado and set aside.

Recipe for Quesadillas:

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 med. onion, chopped
salt and pepper to your taste
1 package of taco seasoning
Sharp cheddar cheese grated
Corn tortillas
Jalapenos (optional)

Directions:

Brown meat and drain. Add onion, season with salt and pepper then add taco seasoning. Cook until all meat is browned. Heat 1/8 – 1/4 inch oil in skillet. Spread cheese on one tortilla, top with taco meat then top with tortilla. Place in hot oil and cook until cheese melts and tortilla crisps. Quickly flip quesadilla to crisp other side. Drain on paper towel. Add jalapenos if you like and cut into quarters.

Recipe for Shrimp Fajitas:

1 1/4 lbs medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pure chile powder
1/2 teaspoon chopped oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lime, juiced
8 -12 flour tortillas or 8 -12 soft corn tortillas, warmed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut into strips
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1/3 inch strips
Cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)
Chopped fresh cilantro
Minced red onion

Directions:

Add shrimp, salt, cumin, chile powder, oregano, garlic, lime juice to a large bowl or heavy duty zip-top plastic bag. Toss until spices are distributed and shrimp is well coated. Let marinate for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a large skillet (cast-iron is best). Add the green onions and peppers; cook and stir occasionally 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the shrimp and marinade; cook and stir constantly about 3 minutes or until the shrimp are pink. Spoon shrimp and vegetables into warmed tortillas; garnish with cheese, cilantro and onion if desired. Fold up and eat.

Ali in the Valley’s Margarita Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 can of frozen limeade (not lemonade)
3/4 can (see below) of tequila (Reposado Hornitos 100% puro de agave)
1/4 can (see below) of Cointreau (not generic triple sec)
ice
fresh basil leaves or mint for garnish

Directions:

In blender add 1 can of limeade then use the can from the limeade and pour 3/4 can full of tequila add 1/4 can full of cointreau and plenty ice and blend.

Pour into margarita glass and add a basil leave for garnish.

]]> http://www.aliinthevalley.com/favorites-for-cinco-de-mayo/feed/ 0 http://www.aliinthevalley.com/yummy-shrimp-and-cheese-grits/ http://www.aliinthevalley.com/yummy-shrimp-and-cheese-grits/#comments Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:06:37 +0000 Alison Ball Kilmer http://www.aliinthevalley.com/?p=4334 Read More »]]> Shrimp and Cheese Grits:

I couldn’t resist making this delicious Shrimp and Cheese Grits dish for dinner last night. We had a busy weekend with kid’s parties on both Saturday and Sunday at the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena, and I needed some comfort food to reward myself on how I got it all done. Okay, I’ll take any excuse to eat cheese grits for dinner with shrimp. This simple recipe is perfect for a dinner party if you want to impress friends or for an occasional indulgence at home. Use whatever excuse you need to make this good old comfort dish…you and your kids will love it! Have you ever had Shrimp with Cheese Grits?

Remember to accomplish one of your goals this week!

Happy Monday,

Ali in the Valley

Photo by: Ali

Shrimp and Cheese Grits

Recipe for Shrimp and Cheese Grits:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup stone-ground grits
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 slices bacon, chopped (optional)
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 cup thinly sliced scallions (optional)
• 1 large clove garlic, minced

Directions:

Bring water to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Add grits and cook until water is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese. Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned; drain well. In grease, add shrimp. Cook until shrimp turn pink. Add lemon juice, chopped bacon, parsley, scallions and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes.

Spoon grits into a serving bowl. Add shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.

Aliyah and Tyler at the Cosko’s Birthday Party and Aliyah holding a Butterfly @ Kids Space Museum.

Yes! It’s Friday and I’m treating myself to a Wine Smoothie to cool down and relax. I deserve it! It’s been work work work and very little play time for me and unfortunately, not all going the way I need it to go. But sometimes that’s how life goes. You keep going and drink wine to numb the hard parts of making progress. There it is “Progress!” I strive to make progress but it doesn’t come as fast as I need for my satisfaction. So to numb the process, I’m making this refreshing and delicious Wine Smoothie! It’s extremely easy to make, healthy with assorted berries and only 120 calories. All you need is a bag of frozen fruit or fresh fruit, wine, and a blender…add a few fancy glasses, garnishes and there you have a great cocktail.

Happy Friday,

Ali in the Valley

Photo by: Ali

Recipe for Wine Smoothie:

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of frozen fruit
• 1 1/2 cup of white wine (pinot grois)

Directions:

Add the bag of frozen fruit and white wine to blender and blend until smooth.

Here in my household, one of the ways we’re celebrating Earth Day is going meatless and adding lots of green in our meal plan.  Yes, that’s right…no meat! Actually it’s not so hard for us and we do it so often my kids don’t even realize that they hadn’t had any meat all day.

Here are two green recipes you can add to your diet that are healthy, delicious and meatless. Trust me, your kids will enjoy this thick, sweet and fulfilling Avocado Smoothie as well as this hearty and savory Broccoli Soup!  Try it and tell me what you think.

What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day?

Ali in the Valley

Photos by: Ali

 Avocado and Mango Smoothie:

Recipe for Avocado and Mango Smoothie:

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 ripe avocado – halved, pitted and peeled
• 1 mango, cut & cubed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

Directions:

In a blender, puree all ingredients and serve in a chilled glass with a lime wedge as a garnish.

Broccoli Soup 

Broccoli Soup Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds fresh broccoli, stems and florets separated and chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 6 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute chopped onions with olive oil for 5 minutes until translucent. Add broccoli florets, stems, garlic and tarragon and sauté for 1 minute. Add stock, bring to boil. Simmer uncovered until broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. (If you use an upright blender, work in small batches, fill no more than a third of the blender bowl at a time, and hold down the lid while blending.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with broccoli florets and cayenne pepper.

I love Tortilla Soup.  As a matter of fact, I love all Mexican food but tortilla soup is one of my favorites because it has all the spicy flavors without all the fat. Spicy and warm always works for my palate. What about you?  Do you like salsa? cilantro? fresh hot tortilla chips? Tortilla soup is like a soup version of my favorite dish; enchilada with chicken and tortilla chips, but without the extra calories. This recipe is so fresh and easy to make and my family absolutely loves this on the weekly menu. I make a different soup every week and this stands toe-to-toe with the best!

Stay strong and positive…

Ali in the Valley

Photo by: Ali

Recipe for Tortilla Soup:

Ingredients:

• 6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, preferably a little old and dried out
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium Anaheim, poblano or jalapeño chile, seeded, veins removed, chopped (Depending on the hotness and flavor desired. You can also mix chiles – 1 Anaheim and a half jalapeño.)
• 4 cups chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (I recommend Muir Glen fire-roasted)
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 ripe avocado (optional)
• 1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or mild cheddar)
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Cut tortillas in half, and then cut the halves into 1/4-inch wide strips. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a 3-quart pot. Working in three batches, fry the tortilla strips in the oil, until lightly browned and crisp. Remove the tortilla strips from the pan and let drain on a paper towel lined plate. Add the chopped onions to the pan, cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped chile and cook for 2-3 minutes more, until the onions and chiles have softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the broth, tomatoes, and salt. Increase the heat to high, heat until the soup begins to boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and cook until heated through.  To serve; pit, peel, and cut the avocado into 1-inch pieces. Divide half of the tortilla strips among 4 individual serving bowls; ladle in soup. Top with avocado and cheese; garnish with remaining tortilla strips and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

My brain hurts! I’ve been spending a lot of time trying to finish existing projects – getting them completed or to the next level and it just takes so much dedication and hard work to get things done. I’m focused on all that I set out to accomplish so giving up is not an option! I’m constantly grinding, thinking, retooling and reinventing so when I can carve out some rest time, I can’t think of a better way than to make a skinny delicious cocktail for Friday night…and one that’s not going to put on any extra pounds after working out all week at Barry’s Bootcamp and Cardio Barre.

My Skinny Lemon Drop Martini is only 125 calories! How can it only be 125 calories? Because I eliminated the sugar and replaced it with organic blue agave for the sweetener but it taste like so much more! Summer is approaching quickly and here in my household we’ve cut down on all hard liquor and only drink wine at dinner but every now and then I need a refreshing cocktail that goes straight to the head and gets rid of the headache from grinding all week.

Try my Skinny Lemon Drop Martini and send me your comments to let me know if you like it or not. Summer is quickly approaching and…as we start to party more when the weather begins to heat up, I’ll be featuring new Skinny Cocktails on Fridays!

Happy Friday,

Ali in the Valley

Photos by: Ali

Recipe for Skinny Lemon Drop Martini:

Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 ounce vodka
• 1 1⁄2 ounce lemon juice
• 1⁄2 ounce organic Blue Agave or Stevia syrup
• 1 medium, twisted lemon peel
• 10 medium ice cubes

Directions:

Add vodka, lemon juice, agave simple syrup and ice cubes into a cocktail shaker.  Shake until your hands are frigid.  Strain into a chilled glass.

Recipe for Agave Simple Syrup:

• 1 cup agave nectar
• 1 cup hot water

Directions:

Combine equal parts agave nectar and hot water and stir to dissolve. Let cool completely before using. Store in the refrigerator between uses for up to one month.

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1 Cocktail : Calories 125