POM Summer Series: Bruschetta & Caprese Salads with a Pomegranate Balsamic Reduction
This week’s POM Summer Series recipe is all about SALADS!!! I LOVE summertime because at all of the Farmer’s Markets that you can get amazing fresh and flavorful produce. Tomatoes of all types are one of my favorite things to snack on all summer long especially when they are straight from farm to table.
My favorite tomato by far are big, colorful and funky looking Organic Heirloom tomatoes! They have such a great tomato flavor, super thick/meaty and incredibly versatile.
I figured why make just one SALAD with these beauties when you can make TWO!
TIP FOR ORGANICS:
I honestly believe in using organic foods whenever possible as they have so much FLAVOR and are 100% better for you. However, I know this isn’t realistic for everyone so the main thing to remember when picking organic is this:
If the fruit or vegetable has a skin you EAT, then, pick organic! Isn’t that easier than trying to remember the Dirty Dozen and which to pick/not pick.
BRUSCHETTA WITH A POM BALSAMIC REDUCTION
BALSAMIC SYRUP
1/2 cup Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup POMWonderful Pomegranate Juice
1 Bay Leaf
3 Whole Peppercorns
1 Fresh Thyme Sprig or a few dashes of dried thyme
Combine all the above ingredients in a small stainless steel sauce pan over low heat. Simmer reducing the mixture until it is about 1/3 cup. Remove from heat, strain and place in the fridge to cool. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
TOASTED BAGUETTE BITES
1 Baguette, slice thin into 1/4 inch slices
1 Tbsp Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place your baguette slices on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Bake until slightly golden and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool
TOMATO BRUSCHETTA
2 lbs Heirloom tomatoes, diced into ~ 1/4 inch cubes
Handful basil, ~ 6-7 leaves. sliced into ribbons
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 Tbsp POMWonderful Pomegranate Juice
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lemon, zested
Combine the above ingredients and chill in the fridge until ready to use.
TO ASSEMBLE
Place your crunchy bruschetta slices and place them on a plate. Top them with a heaping tablespoon of your Tomato Bruschetta. Drizzle a small amount of your Pomegranate balsamic reduction syrup Sprinkle with a good quality rock sea salt. Enjoy!
**MIX IT UP: You can add a layer of fresh mozzarella in between the Bread and the Bruschetta or sprinkle some freshly shaved parmesan on top.
STEP-BY-STEP
Start out by preparing your simple POM Balsamic Reduction.
Combine your POM Juice & Balsamic Vinegar and pour into a small sauce pan over medium low heat.
Add your aromatics ~ Bay leaf, peppercorns and Thyme (I used Lemon Thyme from our garden).
Simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the POM/Balsamic mixture reduces to 1/3 of a cup. Strain and cool in the fridge. It will thicken more as it cools.
While your reduction is “cooking”, take your crusty baguette and thinly slice into 1/4 inch or less pieces. You want to be sure that you slice it really thin otherwise when toasted it will be too hard to bite into and give you Captain Crunch mouth 
Drizzle your baguette slices with olive oil, sea salt & freshly ground black pepper. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes until slightly browned and crunchy.
This is one reason I LOVE Heirlooms – Check out all their fun colors – the inside is the BEST part!
Chop your tomatoes into 1/4 inch cubes.
Top with basil and garlic.
Add your olive oil, balsamic and pomegranate juice.
Plus the zest of one lemon. Stir to combine and chill until ready to use.
Assemble by topping each slice with a heaping tablespoon of bruschetta, sea salt & a little drizzle of of your Pomegranate Balsamic Reduction.
Dig in and ENJOY! You don’t have to share if you don’t want to 
I have to admit as much as I LOVE Bruschetta, the first thing that comes to mind when I see BIG, JUICY, HEIRLOOM TOMATOES is CAPRESE SALAD.
It might be the tomatoes or it might just be FRESH MOZZARELLA!!!!
CHEESE makes the world a better place! I LOVE CHEESE!
Caprese salad is really simple to make. All you have to do is slice your mozzarella, tomatoes and basil.
Place them on a bed of organic mixed greens and top with a little rock sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
When ready to serve, drizzle with the Pomegranate Balsamic Reduction that you made above.
Or serve it on the side and let everyone add their own drizzle.
This salad is awesome as a meal, as a side and definitely when served up with Bruschetta!
Be sure to visit the kitchens of the other POM Series Chefs to find out what else is on the menu for week 2 of the Summer of POM:
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WEEK 1 SUMMER OF POM ~ SUMMER BERRY POM~TINI
Check back next Monday for MY ENTREE RECIPE made up with POM!!!
Fresh AVOCADO Spring Rolls w/Sweet & Spicy Chili Lime Dipping Sauce!
Happy Hump Day all! Today has been a FANTASTIC day in like a gazillion ways. I have a bunch of fun things to share, but, I have to jump ahead of myself just for one second! I am a LOSER AGAIN!!! I lost another 1.2 lbs at Weigh In Tonight – LOVE it!
You know one of the COOLEST things about doing Weight Watchers ~ I was STILL able to enjoy an AMAZING anniversary dinner, a FOODTASTCI Blogger Meet Up, have URBAN FRIES, some delicious Mexican eats, eat ChocoLOVE and STILL LOSE WEIGHT all while on the program
Honestly though, it’s all about moderation and picking the RIGHT foods. I think my CORE/Simply Filling approach is working out pretty well. I need to lose 6 lbs to get into the next decade of #’s so that is my short term goal!
I made sure I got my dairy in today with a Venti Iced, Nonfat, Decaf Latte with caramel drizzle (3 pts).
My Co-workers order like once a week from the AMAZING place called Highway 29 Cafe. It’s a little mom and pop shop, but, the food smells always make me hungry….think bacon, fried potatoes, maple syrup.
Today, I joined them with this custom made (not on the menu) order!
An Egg White Veggie Omelet cooked in nonstick spray, no butter or cheese….topped with Sriracha (yes, I keep a bottle in my desk!)
It came fully LOADED with mushrooms, onions, bell peppers and tomatoes. It was SO GOOD that I didn’t even touch the hash browns – SUCCESS!
(Estimate 2 points, 1/2 c liquid egg whites is 1 pt, plus 1 just in case they added any fat or what not).
My mid morning snack was some super thick Strawberry Banana Ice Cream (4 pts)
Lunch started off with another TJ’s Chile Lime Chicken Burger topped with Annie’s Ketchup & Mustard (3 pts).
Plus an entire 1 lb package of Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts (2 pts) and it includes my healthy oil!
I thought after I ate these…ugh, I hope eating 1 lb of Brussels Sprouts doesn’t make me gain 1 lb LOL.
When I got home, I checked on our garden to see how things are doing after the rainy weather we have had.
I was SO SURPRISED to see that everything is starting to come in already – woohoo!
The Husband’s 18 oz Mr. Stripey Tomatoes.
Sugar Snap Pea blossoms!
Red Bell Pepper!
Our sad burpless cucumbers 
Lemon Thyme ~ I think this is easy to grow – it looks like ground cover
Rosemary!
Basil although it looks like someone has been snacking on our basil :/
Sweet 100 Cherry Tomatoes everywhere
The Husband had to work late tonight and asked if I could bring him dinner. It just so happens he was working by my FAVORITE Mexican Food place….sooooooo the decision was pretty easy.
I had the usual Two Vasquez Spicy Chicken Tacos for dinner (8.5 pts). I can’t ever get enough of these!
I also stole 3 chips and cheesy bean dip from The Husband. (2.5 pts)
The last fun project for the night was to create my first CEiMB (Craving Ellie In My Belly) recipe for the week. I just joined the club today and I am SO excited for it.
Basically it’s a group of bloggers who are cooking their way through Ellie Krieger’s Cookbooks and Food Network Recipes ~ one week at a time. fun, right?
I think the BEST part about it (besides getting 2 NEW cookbooks ~ don’t tell The Husband ) is that I will actually MAKE the recipes in the cookbook!
If you’d like to join in on the fun (it’s open to EVERYONE), click HERE.
Soft Asian Summer Rolls with Sweet and Savory Dipping Sauce
* Let me just have a disclaimer now ~ I am BAD about following a recipe exactly and I really had THESE AVOCADO ROLLS in mind when I started the process.
Here is how I made my rolls:
INGREDIENTS:
For the summer rolls:
- 1 ounces Thai rice noodles
- 3 rice paper rounds
- 6 fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
- 1/2 Avocado, thinly sliced, although I think thick slices would work better
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried
- 1 cup Arugula blend lettuce leaves
- 1 tsp freshly minced ginger
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Vinegar dipping sauce, recipe follows
- Black & regular sesame seeds, used for decoration Vinegar Dipping Sauce:
Vinegar Dipping Sauce (I followed this part exactly):
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons warm water
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili sauce (recommended: Sriracha)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon finely shredded carrot
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
INSTRUCTIONS:
Bring water to a boil and cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse and cool (makes about 2 cups).
Line up ingredients in small bowls before beginning to make rolls. Fill a large bowl or saucepan with very warm water. Place a rice paper round in the hot water. Soak for between 30 seconds and 1 minute, or until rice round is pliable and pattern on the round is barely visible. Remove and place on a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel.
Place 2 basil leaves on the inner edge of the rice round, about 1-inch from the edge and leaving about 1-inch on each side. Top with approximately 1/4 cup cooked rice noodles. Place avocado slices on top. Top with about 2 tablespoons carrots, then a few cilantro leaves. Rub the center of the wrap with a little fresh ginger and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes. Fold 1 piece of lettuce leaf and place on top of pile. Bring the edge over filling and tuck underneath. As you continue to roll, fold in the sides. Finish rolling, repeat with the other rolls, and reserve under a damp cloth or paper towel. When ready to serve, slice in half and serve, cut ends up, with dipping sauce.
Prepare the Vinegar Dipping Sauce by dissolving the sugar in warm water, combine with other ingredients, and chill until ready to use.
STEPS – BY – STEPS::
I think the MOST important thing you can do is prepare and lay out all your ingredients BEFORE you start wrapping.
I used “instant” Thai rice noodles. Prepare you noodles, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking/sticking and set aside.
I found these rice wrappers in my local grocery store in the fresh vegetable section next to the won ton wrappers, tofu items, yakisoba noodles, etc.
The BIG plate has a damp paper towel and was used for rolling. The small plate has a damp paper towel for the finished product to keep them from sticking to the plate.
All lined up and ready to go.
You are supposed to place the rice wrappers in warm water for 30 seconds or so until they are soft, pliable and this pattern disappears slightly.
I used my fingers to “dunk” the rice paper in the water and feel for the texture as it softened.
Add all your layers making sure to leave a one inch border on the right side.
Start by folding over the right side to cover the filling, then, tuck the corners and finish rolling in a circle. Tadah!!!
Slice in half and sprinkle with sesame seeds when ready to eat.
This dipping sauce is AMAZING ~ you can taste the lime, the sweet rice wine vinegar and a little kick from the Sriracha. I did add a pinch of fresh ginger to it too but only because I had extra
Believe it or not, they are really EASY to make – it took maybe 15 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to assemble.
The Husband even liked these and he isn’t all into Asian foods like me
I have like a bazillion rice wrappers left so I will definitely be trying out some new things using them ~ FUN!
GET READY FOR THE START OF MY 3 EARTH DAY GIVEAWAYS STARTING TOMORROW – WOOHOO!
Night all!
Chicken Pot Stickers
I LOVE Pot Stickers often find most Asian places fry them in a lot of oil and do not use super lean meats. Making your own healthy version at home is easy. The best part is that they freeze well so you can have healthy pot stickers whenever the craving strikes.
Lately I have had a HUGE addiction to Won Ton and Pot Sticker Wrappers. You really can’t beat the fact that you get so many for so few calories/points and they are completely versatile.
My first attempt was the Oh My Squash Pot Stickers which ROCKED! This time I moved onto Chicken Pot Stickers which proved to be just as easy to make.
I can definitely see some pizza won tons, ravioli won tons, crispy cinnamon sugar won tons and MAYBE some NUTELLA filled won tons in my feature
Next time you are at the store pick up some Won Ton or Pot Sticker Wrappers to experiment with – THEY ARE FUN and quite tasty!
Healthier Chicken Pot Stickers (Printable Version)
INGREDIENTS
6 oz Chicken breast, skinless, boneless, raw
1/4 cup Onions, Spring Or Scallions
2 Tbsp Cilantro
2 tsp ginger root
2 garlic clove(s), minced
2 tbsp black bean sauce, teriyaki sauce, Szechuan or your favorite Asian sauce (you can mix and match too) – I used black bean & teriyaki
1 tsp Sriracha Chili Sauce
1 cup Broccoli Slaw or Napa Cabbage, chopped
35-40 Nasoya Won Ton – Wrappers
1 1/4 cups water or low sodium chicken broth
2 tsp Olive oil or Nonstick spray
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine chicken through broccoli slaw in the food processor and pulse until combined. Do not puree it because you want to have some crunchiness from the vegetables.
- Place your won ton rounds on a dry surface and place a bowl of water nearby. Use your finger or a pastry brush to brush the outside edges of the won ton wrapper with the water.
- Scoop a 1/2 – 1 tsp of your chicken mixture into the center of each won ton.
- Fold won ton in half and press the edge together. You may need to use a pastry brush or your finger to wet the edges and place on a wire rack.
- Repeat process until all your filling is used.
- Heat a nonstick skillet sprayed with nonstick spray or a 1/2 tsp drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add 8 pot stickers and brown on each side.
- Add 1/4 cup water or chicken broth and "steam" until all the liquid evaporates.
- Remove from pan and Enjoy
- Makes 5 servings, 8 Pot Stickers each for only 4 POINTS!!!
- Nutritional information per 8 piece serving:
STEP-BY-STEP:
1. I was too lazy to whip out my BIG Food Processor so instead I used my Cuisnart 4-cup Chopper and filled it to the brim with everything.
2. Pulse until everything is combined yet still chunky ~ looks and sounds gross, but, it’s absolutely delicious!
3. Place your wrappers on a dry surface and use your finger or a pastry brush to wet the edges with water.
4. Place 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of your chicken filling in the middle of each wrapper.
5. Fold in half and press edges to seal. You may need to use additional water on the outside to help seal it. I like placing my wrappers on a cooling rack sprayed with nonstick spray (to keep them from sticking) while I make up the rest.
6. “Fry” your pot stickers first in nonstick spray or a little olive oil until they are browned on each side. Then, add your 1/4 cup water or chicken broth to “steam” them. Cook until the liquid evaportates.
Tadah! Easy, right?! They really are since you pretty much just dump everything in the Food Processor and go.
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