Seven simple ingredients for a healthy, satisfying salad.
This recipe uses simple ingredients and is super quick and easy to make. Whip up this healthy salad for lunch or dinner. Tip: Using leftover rice ensures this recipe is ready in minutes. Makes: 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, blanched
1 cup cooked rice, enriched white or whole grain brown
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 apple, cored and sliced
1/4 cup walnut halves
1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt, more or less, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Cook rice according to package directions. Cool completely.
Fill a medium saucepan with water. Bring water to boil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli florets and blanch; about 3-4 minutes (Don’t overcook. You want vibrantly green, crisp-tender broccoli). Remove florets with a slotted spoon and immediately place into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. When cooled, drain and place on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
In a large bowl, add cooked rice, broccoli florets, shredded carrots, cranberries, apple, and walnuts. Stir in plain low-fat yogurt, to taste, and mix until all ingredients are coated. Divide mixture into two bowls. Serve and enjoy!
Fresh herbs and good quality whole grain mustard add layers of flavor to a whole roasted leg of lamb.
Servings: 10 • Cook Time: 85 mins
INGREDIENTS
1 leg of lamb, about 4 1/2 lbs., well-trimmed For the glaze
2 Tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 three-quarter inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 Tablespoon olive oil
The American Lamb website is a great place to find great tips and techniques for cooking lamb.
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 430°F.
Place the lamb in a large roasting pan. Mix the mustard, soy sauce, garlic, rosemary, and ginger together and then gradually stir in the olive oil to make a paste. Spread paste over the lamb leg.
Put in the oven and roast to sear for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and continue to roast for another 50 minutes. The lamb will be cooked medium (150°F with an internal meat thermometer) at this stage. Remove from the oven, wrap the lamb loosely in foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
NOTE: You can add vegetables of your choice to the pan after reducing heat to 350°F. We used onions, carrots, red bell peppers.
Nothing says Easter like eggs! Add a little flair to classic deviled eggs by adding a few savoury ingredients and seasonings for a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Makes: 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS
6 Hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 cup ham, chopped
1/4 cup bell peppers, diced
3 Tablespoons yellow onion, minced
a few dashes of hot sauce, optional
Salt & pepper, to taste
fresh dill, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Slice eggs in half and gently pop the yolks out into a bowl.
In a medium size bowl, mash cooked egg yolks with a fork. Stir in mayonnaise (add more or less until you get your preferred consistency).
Mix in ham, bell pepper, onion, and a couple dashes of hot sauce, if desired.
Season with salt and pepper, and a pinch of dill.
Spoon mixture into the egg whites, garnish with a bit of dill, loosely cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Blini are thin, crepe-like pancakes originating in Russia. Paired with smoked salmon and poached eggs, they make a delicious, sophisticated party dish – perfect for brunch with family and friends.
Makes: 6 servings
Buckwheat blini are traditionally served with caviar and sour cream.
INGREDIENTS For the Dill Sauce: 1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
For the Blini:
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1-ounce butter, melted
For the topping:
6 eggs
6 oz. smoked salmon
Baby spinach leaves (about 5 oz.)
2 Yellow onions, sliced
Fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS To make Dill Sauce: Whisk together sour cream, mustard, lemon juice and dill until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to assemble blini.
To make blini: Sift together flour and baking powder into a medium bowl; gradually whisk in combined egg and buttermilk until mixture is smooth. Stir in butter.
Melt a little butter in a large skillet. Working in batches, spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles form on the top of pancake. Flip pancake over and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan, keep warm and repeat with remaining mixture.
To poach eggs: Half fill a medium pot with water; bring to the boil. Reduce heat until water is gently simmering. Break 1 egg into a cup. Using a spoon, swirl the water in a rapid, circular motion. Gently slide the egg into the center of the swirling water. The inertia of the water will wrap the egg whites around the egg, helping to hold the egg together tightly. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs one at a time from pan, drain on absorbent paper, cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining eggs. Watch Jamie Oliver’s video above for perfectly poached eggs every time.
Prepare Onion & Spinach: In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté onion slices until tender; about 3-5 minutes. Remove from skillet. Add spinach to the skillet and quickly sauté until just wilted; about 2 minutes.
To serve: Top blini with sautéed spinach, onion, dill sauce, smoked salmon and poached egg (in that order). Season with salt and pepper and garnish with a sprig of dill. Serve immediately.
This recipe uses packaged puff pastry, making it a quick and easy go-to choice for serving up a special breakfast treat, or as an elegant addition to your Easter brunch menu.
Makes: 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS
1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted
6 slices of bacon
6 eggs
salt and pepper
Fresh sprouts or freshly grated cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cut pastry into slightly larger squares than the muffin cups. Line the muffin cups with the pastry, folding around the sides to make the pastry fit. Pierce bottom and sides with a fork, then brush the pastry with melted butter.
3. In a skillet, over medium heat, fry bacon until lightly browned on each side but still pliable. Drain on paper towels and let cool.
4. Line the muffin tins with bacon slices.
5. Crack an egg into each cup. Sprinkle with herbs, salt, and pepper. Bake until set, about 15-20 minutes. Loosen from cups and remove. Serve with fresh sprouts or freshly grated cheese on the top.
Smooth and creamy asparagus soup garnished with a ‘nest’ made from asparagus spears and hard-boiled eggs. An elegant first course addition to your Easter dinner.
Each asparagus stalk weighs in at only 4 calories and contains no fat or cholesterol. Asparagus is high in fiber, folate and potassium and is rich in antioxidants, including vitamins K, E, A, and C.
Makes: 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS
– 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
– 1 yellow onion, chopped
– 3 garlic cloves, minced
– 3 1/2 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed (you can substitute vegetable stock)
– 1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
– 2 (1-pound) bunches asparagus
– 3/4 cup heavy cream (or 1/2 cup plain yogurt)
– 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
– 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
– small hard-boiled eggs, for nests
DIRECTIONS
Snap off the tough stem ends from the asparagus spears. Cut the tips off half of the spears into 2-inch lengths. Set the tips aside. Chop the remaining asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
Melt 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter in a medium-size pot over medium-low heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add stock and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add asparagus pieces and simmer gently until potatoes and asparagus are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Carefully transfer soup to a blender in batches and purée until smooth. Return soup to pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, whisk in heavy cream (or yogurt) and season with salt and pepper. You can add more stock, if necessary, to reach desired consistency. NOTE: You can also use an immersion blender. Puree the soup until smooth, about 2 minutes then strain the soup through cheesecloth into a clean saucepan.
In a small sauté pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the reserved asparagus tips and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes.
Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with asparagus tips and hard-boiled eggs and serve.
TIP: To store asparagus for several days, wrap the stem ends in damp paper towels and keep in a cool, dry place. To store longer, refrigerate stalks, tips up, in a shallow cup of water.
Fresh herbs and good quality whole grain mustard add layers of flavor to a whole roasted leg of lamb.
Nothing says Easter like eggs! Add a little flair to classic deviled eggs by adding a few savoury ingredients and seasonings for a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Makes: 6 servings.
Blini are thin, crepe-like pancakes originating in Russia. Paired with smoked salmon and poached eggs, they make a delicious, sophisticated party dish – perfect for brunch with family and friends.
Buckwheat blini are traditionally served with caviar and sour cream.
This recipe uses packaged puff pastry, making it a quick and easy go-to choice for serving up a special breakfast treat, or as an elegant addition to your Easter brunch menu. 
Smooth and creamy asparagus soup garnished with a ‘nest’ made from asparagus spears and hard-boiled eggs. An elegant first course addition to your Easter dinner.
