Seared Sea Scallops with Garlic-Orange Vinaigrette

Spring has finally sprung and I am enjoying fresh asparagus once again!   I am extra excited for the local crop which will be available soon.  In addition to a nice bunch of asparagus, I had some fresh spinach.  I decided that fresh scallops would be great with my spring vegetables.  An orange vinaigrette, courtesy of Martha Stewart, made for the perfect light meal.  In the original recipe, Martha pairs the vinaigrette with pork tenderloin and sauteed spinach, which is super tasty.  I thought that the vinaigrette would work well with scallops.  Boy was I right - delicious!   I seared the seasoned scallops in a cast iron skillet coated with a little olive oil.  I roasted the asparagus and sauteed the spinach with olive oil and garlic.  I served the scallops over risotto - perfect!   The vinaigrette came together in a minute with the help of the food processor.  I will be repeating this meal soon!  The vinaigrette is so good that I will be trying it on salmon too! 

Garlic - Orange Vinaigrette
courtesy Everyday Food

1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 garlic clove
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

By the way, NJ got a nice mention in the May edition of Bon Appetit as producing some of the country's very best asparagus.  Yes, I can attest to it, we do have some of the best asparagus!

On a side note:  Thank you so much to everyone for your kind words both regarding the loss of Chloe and my health scare.  I received a message from the doctor's office that my results are improving.  I will do follow up tests in another two weeks. 

Tears in NJ

March was not a good month for me...  I am heart broken over the loss of my sweet little Cocker Spaniel Chloe.  She was the best dog ever and we were blessed to have her as part of our family for so many years.  Normally she would be at my feet - snoring loudly...  oh how I miss her and wish that I could have kept her here with us forever...

Thank you so much to everyone for sending well wishes my way.  I appreciate each and every comment so much.  I will be having more tests done on Thursday and I am hopeful that I will get better results. 

This week's Eat. Live. Be. topic is "Creative Ways to Eat all Your Fruits and Veggies". 

I love, love, love vegetables and eat plenty each day.  Omelets are a great way to incorporate vegetables into breakfast.  Big salads, vegetable rich soups and sandwiches loaded with veggies make great lunches.  The focus of dinner is usually in-season vegetables with an accompanying protein and starch.  I like to add zucchini or eggplant to pasta.  Fresh greens like spinach or arugula are also fantastic wilted in pasta.  I even like to add greens to my favorite food - pizza!  Below is one of my favorite pizza combinations - amazing!


Basil Pesto, Mozzarella, Goat Cheese, Tomatoes & Arugula

Getting enough fruit in my diet is slightly more of a challenge to me.  Here are some ways that I incorporate fruit into my diet.

• Mix fruit and granola into yogurt. 
• Fruit with pancakes, waffles or French toast makes a great weekend breakfast. 
• Fruit is also fantastic added into a salad. 
• Freeze some grapes - so good!
• Chocolate Covered Strawberries
• Freshly squeezed grapefruit or orange juice
• Peanut Butter & Bananas - Matt's favorite not mine!

The key to getting more fruits and vegetables in your diet is to make sure that you have plenty of fresh options on hand.  I once again joined a local CSA for the season.   During the winter, I have enjoyed fresh boxes of organic produce from Suburban Organics.  I encourage everyone to support their local farms this season.  I would love any ideas that you have on enjoying fresh fruits and vegetables.