The mission of Snap Kitchen is to make available flavorful, handcrafted food that supports their commitment to local,
organic ingredients and healthy cooking. The menu includes salads, juices and specialty elixirs, high-energy snacks,
and diet-friendly desserts for the person on the go. All menu items are portion-controlled and labeled with the full nutritional content.
Snap Kitchen also has a registered dietitian on staff. Stephanie Hoban, RD, shows Cleverley Stone, food radio talk show host, how to make three juices for breakfast, an afternoon ‘pick-me-up’ and cleansing, and one of the most popular Snap Kitchen dishes, Chinese Chicken Salad.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston,
listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM.
(PS: She gives out restaurant gift cards on every radio show!)
Whole Foods Market stores in Houston and Sugar Land are taking part in a ‘Health Starts Here’ challenge from January 23 – February 20.
The month-long event focuses on eating healthily and helping us look at food in a new way with cooking classes, cooking demonstrations, food sampling, how-to guides, store tours, meet-up groups, lectures, workouts, reading materials and more recipes than you can use in one month! Visit http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/ for event schedule.
Healthy eating specialist Gwen Marzano shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make four healthy dishes:
Banana Nice Cream, Black Bean Hummus, Kale, Carrot & Avocado Salad and a Get Your Greens Smoothie.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston,
listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM.
(By the way, she gives out restaurant gift cards on every radio show!)
Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo, the husband and wife team who created and owns Messina Hof Winery, which has won the most awards in Texas, show food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make a light and healthy salad with a Reisling wine dressing. Dijon mustard is added to the dressing for extra flavor. This dressing could also be used as a baste for roasted chicken or pork. The dressing recipe is featured in their Vineyard Cuisine Cookbook.
Messina Hof Winery & Resort, established in 1977 in Bryan, Texas, is rooted in the union of two family heritages. Winemaker Paul Bonarrigo’s family dates back seven generations to Messina, Sicily and Merrill’s family is from Hof, Germany.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston,
listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM.
(PS: She gives out restaurant gift cards on every radio show!)
Riesling Vinaigrette Salad
Source: Paul & Merrill Bonarrigo, Messina Hof Winery & Resort, from the book “Vineyard Cuisine Cookbook”
Makes 2 1/2 cups of dressing
Recommended wine pairings with the salad: Riesling, Moscato, Merlot
Directions
1. Place the Riesling, honey, vinegar, mustard, parsley and garlic in a blender and blend on high.
2. While blending slowly drizzle in oil until ingredients are incorporated.
3. Taste and adjust sweetness to your liking.
4. Toss greens with desired amount of vinaigrette.
5. Top with cranberries, pecans and Gorgonzola or your choice of toppings.
Robin Miller, host of the Food Network show “Quick Fix Meals,” begins the month of November with the release of her cookbook “Robin Takes 5.” The number 5 factors heavily into the the book with 500 recipes using 5 ingredients or less that are 500 calories or less and can be whipped up 5 nights a week at 5 p.m. In the book, Miller uses her background as a nutritionist to create healthy, sodium-conscious recipes.
Recipes from “Robin Takes 5″ (published Nov. 1, 2011 by Andrews McMeel Publishing)
Beet and Apple Salad with Pistachios and Goat Cheese (Serves 4)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Because cooked beets are sweet, its great to pair them with tart
Granny Smith apples, salty and pungent goat cheese, and nutty, crunchy pistachios. When you create your own dishes, try to pick
opposing flavors that will work well together on the plate. Its all about creating a balance.
2 cups thinly sliced cooked beets (not pickled)
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
¼ cup shelled pistachios
Directions
Combine the beets, apple, and sherry vinegar in a large bowl and toss.
Fold in the goat cheese and pistachios.
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.
Nicoise Pizza with Olives, Red Peppers, and Gruyère (Serves 6)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
This is my twist on the classic French salad that also boasts tuna, green beans, and hard-boiled eggs. I decided to leave those items off the pizza, but you can certainly add them after the pizza is cooked. What follows is a unique combination of flavors that works really well on pizza dough.
1 pound fresh or frozen bread or pizza dough, thawed according to package directions
2 cups thinly sliced roasted red peppers
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced into thin rounds
1 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Roll the dough out into a large circle or rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
Transfer the dough to a pizza pan or baking sheet.
Top with peppers, olives, cheese, and oregano.
Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Boutari is the world’s best selling Greek wine. Christina Boutari shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make a perfect Greek salad – with a modern twist. The tastes are complex but it’s a simple salad to make. She also recommends a white wine that pairs well with the salad.
Tips:
. If you roast the tomatoes and lemons earlier in the day, the whole thing comes together quite quickly.
. Add salt with a light hand, as there is plenty of saltiness present in the salad from the cheese and the olives.
The dressing is made with a combination of red wine and red wine vinegar for a richer and quite sophisticated flavor.
In place of the traditional cucumber, thin ribbons of raw zucchini provide delicate flavor and crunch. The tomatoes
are roasted for extra depth of flavor and sweetness, and there is a surprise burst of caramelized citrus from the lemons,
which get roasted alongside the tomatoes.
Feta, made from sheep’s milk, is the classic cheese for Greek salads, and is always fantastic. However, for a change
you can also try Manouri, which is the Greek equivalent of ricotta salata also made from sheep’s milk, but a bit drier and crumblier.
The dressing will not get as creamy, but it adds another texture to the salad. You can eat the caramelized lemon wedges, or if you
choose to just move them to the side. Tossing them with the salad will still allow the cooked juices to add flavor to the dish.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM.
(By the way, She gives out restaurant gift cards on every radio show!)
Boutari’s Modern Greek Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette (Serves 4 to 6 people)
Ingredients for the Salad
1 medium zucchini, washed
1 lemon, washed and cut into ½ inch pieces with the rind still attached, but seeds removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 heart of romaine, slivered crosswise
½ cup pitted kalamata olives
½ cup slivered Vidalia onion
¼ cup crumbled feta or Manouri cheese (see Note)
Ingredients for the Dressing
1/4 cup crumbled feta or Minouri cheese (see Note)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons red wine
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
1. To make the salad, first preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium sized bowl, toss the lemon wedges with a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Spread them out on one end of a rimmed baking sheet.
3. In the same bowl toss the tomatoes with the other two teaspoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt,
and spread them out, cut side down, on the rest of the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, until the lemons are turning golden brown and the tomatoes are starting to shrink.
Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
5. Meanwhile, take the zucchini and using a vegetable peeler press it against the side of the zucchini and
pull down so that you create long, almost transparent strips the length of the zucchini. Keep rotating the
zucchini so that you get nice wide flat strips, making sure to stop before you get to the seedy core.
6. Place the slices in a large salad serving bowl, and toss with the romaine and slivered onion.
7. Top with the olives, roasted tomatoes, and roasted lemon. Sprinkle on the 1/4 cup crumbled cheese.
8. For the dressing, mash the feta or Manouri with the vinegar, red wine, thyme and oregano with a fork until well blended.
Add in the olive, and continue to mash and stir until smooth. You can add more water as you like to achieve the desired texture.
Season with salt and pepper.
9. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss, and serve.
Chef Mark Holley from Pesce Restaurant shows Cleverley Stone, founder and chair of Houston Restaurant Weeks, how to make two dishes from his Houston Restaurant Weeks menu:
. Herb Crusted Gulf Grouper – pan-seared with grilled rapini, toasted almonds, moscadello & Champagne grape sauce
. Panzanella Salad – Grilled focaccia, yellow and red grape tomatoes, Cheesy Girl goat cheese, sweet onion-cane vinaigrette.
These dishes are part of three-course $35 dinners that Pesce is serving to benefit the Houston Food Bank from August 1-31. Every time someone orders these special dinners, Pesce Restaurant will donate $5 to the food bank.
To view the entire HRW menu for Pesce Restaurant, visit the Houston Restaurant Weeks menu.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM.
(By the way, she gives out prizes on every radio show!)
Herb Crusted Gulf Grouper with Broccoli raab, Toasted Almonds, Muscat & Champagne Grape Sauce (Serves 2)
Source: Chef Mark Holley, Pesce
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 6-ounce grouper fillets
Salt & black pepper as needed
1 cup flour
3 each egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh herbs, chopped
2 teaspoons shallots, chopped
1/4 cup Muscat wine
1/4 cup Chardonnay cream sauce (recipe below)
2 tablespoons Champagne grapes
2 each long chives
6 each broccoli raab stems
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
For garnish-fried leeks & almonds, sliced, toasted
Directions
1. Place egg whites in a shallow dish and dip one side of fish into egg whites, letting excess drip off. Sprinkle lightly with herbs and pat flour evenly on top.
2. Over medium high heat sauté grouper in oil for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan once cooked and sauté shallots for 1 minute. Add Muscat wine & chardonnay
cream and simmer until sauce consistency. Add champagne grapes and mix well.
3. Arrange broccoli raab and roasted peppers at the top of the plate. Spoon sauce around fish and top with toasted almonds and fried leeks.
White Wine Cream Sauce
Ingredients
1 t unsalted butter
1/4 onion, julienned
1 bay leaf
2 cups dry Chardonnay wine
1/2 pound dressed whole crab, crushed
2 cups heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1. Heat butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. When the foam subsides add onion and bay leaf then stir repeatedly until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the wine and crab, then reduce by half. Add the heavy cream and reduce by half again. Add salt and pepper. Strain the sauce and blend until frothy.
Panzanella Salad (Serves 2)
Source: Chef Mark Holley, Pesce
Ingredients
1 cup Frisee Lettuce
1 cup Arugula
1 tablespoon Sweet Onion Vinaigrette (recipe below)
2 tablespoons Cucumbers, thinly sliced
6 Ea. Cherry Tomatoes cut in half
2 tablespoons Radish, julienned
1 tablespoon Basil, chiffonade
1 tablespoon Celery Hearts
As needed Texas “Cheesy Girl” goat cheese
As needed Olive Bread, sliced
As needed Red Onion, thinly sliced
Sweet Onion Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon Extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Cane Syrup
1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Cane Vinegar
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Fresh Herbs
1/2 teaspoon Red Cracked Pepper
1 teaspoon Sweet Onions, grilled and diced
To taste Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Directions
1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Set aside until use.
Directions
1. In a bowl combine frisee, arugula, and sweet onion vinaigrette and mix well.
Place in the center of the plate and arrange all of the remaining ingredients around.
Drizzle with additional vinaigrette if needed.
Chef Giancarlo Ferrera from Arcodoro shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make calamari salad. Tomato granita is a unique base for the salad. This dish is on the menu at Arcodoro during Houston Restaurant Weeks 2011. It’s part of the $35 three-course
dinner they are serving to benefit the Houston Food Bank from August 1-31. Everytime someone orders the special dinner, Arcodoro will donate $5 to the food bank. To view the entire HRW menu for Arcodoro, visit the Houston Restaurant Weeks website.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out prizes on every radio show!)
Granita di Pomodoro con Calamaretti (Serves 4)
Granita of Organic campari tomatoes, flavored with orange zest & mint, served with a fresh baby calamari salad
From the Private Collection of Arcodoro & Pomodoro
Prepared by Chef Giancarlo Ferrera
Ingredients
2 lb ripe tomatoes,quartered
1 cup tomato juice
1 orange,zest
1 sprig of fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tsp of horseradish
1 lb fresh baby calamari, cleaned
1 bay leaf
1 shallot, halved
2 lemons
1 tsp parsley, chopped
4 stalks of celery hearts
6 yellow teardrop tomato, quartered
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ lb of spring mix lettuce
1 oz micro greens
Sea salt and pepper
Directions
1. One Day Before, prepare the granita of tomato: Put the quartered tomatoes in a blender with the tomato juice, horseradish, & the orange zest.
Blend for one minute and run it through a sieve into a bowl. Add salt and pepper & chopped mint. Mix well and place in the freezer overnight.
2. For the calamari: Boil water in a medium pot with bay leaf, half of lemon, shallots & pinch of salt. Boil the calamari for 1 min, drain and cool for 5 mins.
3. Cut the calamari tube in rings & cut heads in half. Put in a bowl & toss with extra virgin olive oil, juice of the remaining 1 ½ lemons, chopped parsley,
yellow tomatoes and the bottom part of the celery. Julienne the rest. Season with sea salt & fresh ground pepper. Set aside.
4. To serve: Prepare four frozen martini glasses with chopped salad on the bottom. With an ice cream scooper, scoop two balls of tomato granita for each glass.
On top of the granita arrange the calamari & finish with micro greens Garnish with the top of the celery stick.
Chef Philippe Schmit, from Philippe Restaurant + Lounge on Post Oak Boulevard in Houston, shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make an easy goat cheese and potato salad dish. Anyone can prepare this with store-bought potato salad and salad dressing to make this dish in a hurry. But do not skip the unusual presentation of this dish. It is very easy to do and is sure to impress.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM.
(By the way, she gives out prizes on every radio show!)
Directions
1. In a bowl add goat cheese, chopped thyme, salt and pepper. Add just enough cream to make a workable paste. (Do not make it runny).
Add espelette and mix in.
2. In a ring mold, add potato salad and press firmly (make sure to leave about ½ inch room at top for goat cheese).
3. Spoon (or pipe from a pastry bag) in the goat cheese mixture on top of potato salad.
4. Refrigerate molds until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature or warm in a microware for about 10 seconds.
Sabayon Sauce (topping)
Ingredients
Egg yolks 3
Water 1 spoonful
White wine 1 spoonful
Heavy cream infused with salt, black pepper, rosemary 2 cups
Directions
1. Emulsify the yolks in a double boiler. Whisk them for 10 minutes until they are fluffy and halfway cooked.
2. Pour the warm cream SLOWLY into the eggs.
3. Glaze the potato-cheese ring with this sauce and put it under your broiler for a few minutes to give a little color.
You can also use a creme brulee torch.
4. Serve with Nicoise Olive vinaigrette.
Black Olive Vinaigrette (side dressing)
Ingredients
Niçoise olives, pitted ½ cup
Roasted peppers (cleaned and deseeded) 2
Balsamic vinegar 2 tsp
Sherry vinegar 2 tsp
Extra virgin olive oil ½ cup
Blended oil ½ cup
Salt 2 pinches
Pepper 1 pinch
Thyme flower 1 sprig
Basil, chiffonade cut 1 cup
Directions
1. Combine vinegars, salt, pepper and thyme sprig.
Whisk to incorporate and dissolve salt.
2. Whisk in oils in a slow stream, add chopped olives and diced peppers.
3. Plating: Use basil chiffonade for decoration around the plate.
Trent Sansbury of Tossed shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make 4th of July themed salads, healthy red, white & blue salad ingredients, food safety tips when setting up a salad bar at home and tips for setting up a great salad bar for at-home entertaining.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show, Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (PS: She gives out prizes on every radio show!)
With 100 degree temperatures upon us right now in Houston, eating lighter dishes makes sense. Chef Vernell Powe Sr. from Denis’ Seafood House, shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make Citrus Snapper with Salad.
The salsa for this dish is a delicious blend of grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes, peppers, onions and cilantro. You’re sure to find other uses for this healthy side dish this summer.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out prizes on every radio show!)
1. Pour balsamic vinegar in sauce pan and heat till reduced by half.
2. Add one teaspoon of sugar and mix. Let cool.
Citrus Salsa
1 ruby red grapefruit, peeled and diced
1 large navel orange, peeled and diced
1 large roma tomato, chopped
1 red bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
3 tbsp. diced red onion
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1.5 tsp. sugar
.25 tsp. salt
1. Combine ingredients in medium mixing bowl and drain excess juice into container.
Citrus Salad
2 cups of spring mix
.5 cup of toasted almonds
.5 cup of feta cheese
Juice from salsa to taste
1. Mix ingredients in bowl and chill.
Grilled Fish—I recommend Red Snapper
Four 8 oz. fish fillets
Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste
1. Salt and pepper fillets to taste and grill.
Presentation
1. Drizzle balsamic reduction on plate.
2. Plate grilled snapper and top with .25 cup of citrus salsa.
3. Plate salad next to fish fillet.
Canopy is located in the heart of Montrose in Houston, Texas. It is a fun neighborhood restaurant with a fresh, seasonal menu created by owner and chef Claire Smith. A diner favorite is their house-made artisan breads.
Chef Smith and her partners also own Shade restaurant in the Heights section of Houston. Canopy chef Liz Brooks demonstrates a delicious summer grilled shrimp salad.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley‘s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out prizes on every radio show!)
Directions
1. In a large bowl combine spring mix, edamame, carrots, red onion, cucumber, mint and cilantro.
Season the salad with salt and pepper. Toss with vinaigrette.
Shirley Harrington is senior food editor for Southern Living magazine. She is in Houston for Wine & Food Week. Today she shows food radio talk show host, Cleverley Stone, how to make something like the popular Southern dish, fried green tomatoes, except they are not fried!
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show,
Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (PS: She gives out prizes on every radio show!)
