Sensational Side Dish Chef’s Recipes Are Here!

The End of Summer Client Appreciation Cookout was an absolute blast! We had 70 over to Epsom for food and fun. We “tricked” you into helping with the cookout (Thank-You very much, by the way!) by throwing in a contest centering around food. We know our bootcampers always love a challenge and everyone dazzled us with their recipes.

The rules were simple.  Create a side dish that follows the guidelines of PPW3. Everyone had a chance to vote for their favorite based on presentation, creativity and taste.

The choices ranged from Rachel’s Apple Frogs to Judy’s salad full of bands, kettlebells, dumbbells, and bootcampers, to home grown salsas and fruit salads and more. All were yummy.

I’m glad I couldn’t vote because choosing was tough!

After tallying the super close vote Heather Cummings from the 6:15am Epsom training time scored the most votes with her “Kale- Sausage Risotto”.

Heather picked up the recipe from “The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook”, and it must have been sensational because it was wiped out before I could taste it!  Heather’s prize-winning dish won her a $50 gift card to the Concord Co-op.

Our gang was also treated to a special speech by Jodi Naughton from the 4:15pm training time in Concord. Jodi encouraged us with her humor, her transparency, and the fact that she is one of us. She trains hard for a purpose and she is getting to that goal, one step at a time. Thank-you Jodi!

I wanted to include the recipes from Saturday’s cookout. These recipes will also appear in our next cookbook. Until then another printing of our first cookbook will be here the beginning of September.

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Here’s the Winning Recipe– KALE-SAUSAGE RISOTTO Prepared by Heather Cummings
from The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook

• ¾ cup brown rice
• ½ cup wild rice
• 3 cups organic chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 4-5 cups of chopped kale
• ¾ pound of turkey sausage (casing removed)
• 6 shallots, chopped

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the rice, broth and salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the kale, but do NOT stir.  Cover and cook for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat for 15 minutes or until crumbly and no longer pink, stirring often to crumble.

Using a slotted spoon, place the cooked sausage on a plate lined with paper towels.  Pour any excess fat from the skillet and return the pan to the heat.  Add the shallots.  Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or until the shallots are soft.

Stir in the sausage.  Stir in the rice-kale mixture.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

Other Recipes to make before the summer is over:

Zippy Zucchini

• 4 large eggs
• 1 (8oz) package of shredded Mozzarella or cheddar jack cheese
• 4 cups grated zucchini
• 1 (4oz) can of green chilies chopped
• 1 (4oz) jar of sliced pimentos, drained
• 1 onion minced
• 1 teaspoon creole seasoning

Beat eggs well in large mixing bowl. Stir in cheese, zucchini, green chilies, pimentos, onion, creole seasoning and mix well.

Pour into 2 quart dish sprayed with olive or peanut oil

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Granny Smith Apple, Cuke, and Fennel Salad

• 2 granny smith apples
• 1 cucumber
• Fennel leaves for salad greens
• 2 Tablespoons walnut oil
• 2 Tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon mint
• 1/4 cup of dried cranberries

Slice both apples and cucumber. Place on a bed of Fennel. Salad dressing is a combination of walnut oil, orange juice, cilantro, mint and dried cranberries. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts optional.

Cucumber Salad

• 1/3 cup light sour cream
• 2/3 cup plain low fat yogurt
• 1/2 Tablespoon dill weed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• 3 teaspoon agave nectar
• 4 medium cucumbers

Thinly slice cucumbers. Mix all other ingredients together and fold in cucumbers. Best if refrigerated.

Balsamic Watermelon Salad

• 1/2 watermelon, cubed
• 1/2 pound feta cheese
• 2 cups balsamic vinegar
• fresh tarragon, chopped

over medium heat reduce balsamic vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of tarragon until it’s about 1/2 the original amount.

In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, feta cheese and additional tarragon.

Before serving drizzle watermelon mixture with balsamic glaze.

Asian Slaw

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 5 Tablespoon vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 Tablespoon fresh ground ginger
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper
• 2 bags coleslaw mix (angel hair is best)
• 2 green pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
• 11 ounce can of mandarin oranges, drained
• 1/2 cup of sliced almonds
• 4 Tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 Tablespoon butter

Combine the first 5 ingredients for the dressing and refrigerate. Saute the almonds and sesame seeds in butter until toasted, set aside

In a large bowl combine coleslaw mix, green pepper, green onions, and oranges. Just before serving add the dressing and seeds to the slaw mix.

Garden Fresh Salsa – Jenn created this recipe from her own garden veggies

• 4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 green onion tops, chopped

Mix all the items together and add salt and pepper to taste.

Blueberry and Feta Salad

• 3/8 cup red wine vinegar (balsamic vinegar can also be used)
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 red onion
• 4 cups dark leafy greens
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/4 feta cheese
• 1/2 cup blueberries

In a medium bowl whisk together the first 5 ingredients. Saute the red onion lightly. Toss the greens, the pecans, and the red onion together. Right before serving add the dressing and sprinkle with the feta cheese and blueberries.

Sesame Chicken And Rice Salad

Scott altered this recipe that he originally received from the wellness coordinator at his work.

• 10 ounces frozen brown rice (ie. Birds Eye Steamfresh) or 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 4 cups micro cooked Asian Style frozen vegetables
• 4 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
• 4 cups shredded or diced skinless chicken breast (leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken works well)
• 2/3 cup low fat Sesame Ginger Salad dressing (ie. Newman’s Own Lighten Up)

Microwave brown rice according to package direction. Let the rice cool while you lightly cook the vegetables until crisp tender.

Add rice and vegetables to a large serving bowl and toss with green onions, chicken and sesame ginger dressing. Optional garnish: sprinkle 1 teaspoon sesame seeds or 1/8 cup toasted slivered almonds

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All in all there were 24 side dishes entered into our Sensational Side Dish Contest. If you brought a dish and didn’t leave your recipe, please send it along so others can try it too.

The End of Summer Cookout was all about Get Fit NH Bootcampers. We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for choosing to train with us.

Coach  Nancy