From the category archives:

Seafood

Southwestern Shrimp Recipe from Woman’s Day: No Cooking Required!

by Joi on July 15, 2010

Woman’s Day is one smart publication. They know that when the temperatures climb, the last place people want to be is in front of the stove for hours each night. In the newest issue of Woman’s Day,they’re featuring recipes that don’t require cooking.

Ironic, isn’t it that on a blog called Get Cooking, I’m posting about Not Cooking?! Well… one night a week isn’t going to hurt anyone, right? Shhh, we just won’t tell.

The recipes in the issue include the No Cooking Required recipe below, Southwestern Shrimp. Delicious!

No Cooking Recipes: Southwestern Shrimp

1 lb large peeled cooked shrimp
1 cup diced jicama
1⁄2 cup mild salsa (preferably refrigerated fresh)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1⁄3 cup chopped cilantro
1⁄4 tsp ground cumin
1 ripe avocado, sliced

Serve with: warm corn or flour tortillas, lime wedges

Recipe Preparation

1. Put shrimp, jicama, salsa, oil, cilantro and cumin in a medium bowl; toss to mix.

2. Add avocado; gently toss to mix. Roll up in warm tortillas if desired. Serve with lime wedges.

For more recipes from Woman’s Day, grab the newest issue and check out the No Cook Summer Recipes on Woman’s Day.com.

Alaska Salmon Recipes: Salmon, Artichoke and Bean Salad, Thai Salmon Cakes, and More!

by Joi on December 9, 2009

Alaska Salmon Artichoke and Bean Salad

ALASKA SALMON, ARTICHOKE AND BEAN SALAD (a 15 minute meal!)

1 jar (14 oz.) marinated, quartered artichoke hearts
1 jar or can (16 oz.) marinated bean salad
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (14.75 oz.) or 2 cans (7.5 oz. each) traditional pack Alaska salmon OR 2 cans or pouches (6 to 7.1 oz. each) skinless, boneless salmon, drained and chunked
1 package (10 oz.) ready-to-eat salad greens or spinach leaves

Dressing: Drain liquid from artichokes and beans into a small bowl or pitcher. Blend in mustard and cumin.

Salad: In separate bowl, combine beans, artichokes, salmon and dressing. Portion 2 cups greens onto each of four plates. Top each plate of greens with 1-1/4 cup salmon mixture.

Makes 4 servings. Nutrients per serving: 330 calories, 15g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 37% of calories from fat, 58mg cholesterol, 28g protein, 28g carbohydrate, 9g fiber, 1768mg sodium, 325mg calcium and 2.4g omega-3 fatty acids.

THAI SALMON CAKES WITH HOT AND SOUR SAUCE

2 cans (14.75 oz. each) or 4 cans (7.5 oz. each) traditional pack Alaska Salmon OR 4 cans or pouches (6 to 7.1 oz. each) skinless, boneless salmon
1 Tablespoon peanut or canola oil
¾ cup diced yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons seeded and minced jalapeño pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons minced lemon grass
Juice and zest of ½ lime
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1-1/2 cups finely sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste

Drain and chunk Alaska Salmon. Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add yellow onion and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño pepper and lemon grass; cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Cool. In large bowl, combine lime juice and zest, soy sauce, sugar, green onions and cilantro. Mix well and reserve. In small bowl, whisk eggs. Add cornstarch, salt and pepper; mix. Add egg and cooled onion mixtures to large bowl; fold gently to mix. Add salmon and carefully fold until just combined. Form salmon mixture into 8 cakes (3 oz. each) and chill for at least 30 minutes. Pan fry salmon cakes in oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or until heated through. Serve hot with Hot and Sour Sauce.
Makes 4 Servings.

HOT AND SOUR SAUCE

2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons chili sauce (sambal or roasted)
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro

Dissolve sugar in vinegar. Add chili and cilantro; mix together. Makes ½ cup.

Nutrients per serving (with ½ dipping sauce): 444 calories, 19g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 39% calories from fat, 238mg cholesterol, 47g protein, 20g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 1919mg sodium, 498mg calcium and 3.6g omega-3 fatty acids.

ALASKA SALMON WITH HORSERADISH, WALNUTS AND HERBS

2 Alaska Salmon fillets (4 to 6 oz. each)
Olive oil
3 Tablespoons horseradish sauce
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon each chopped fresh chives, parsley and tarragon
1 Tablespoon softened butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450.

Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Rinse any ice glaze from frozen Alaska Salmon under cold water; pat dry with paper towel. Brush both sides of fish with olive oil and place in the pan. Roast, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine horseradish sauce, walnuts, herbs and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Remove fish from oven and spread mixture evenly over salmon fillets.

Return fish to oven and roast an additional 8 to 10 minutes for frozen fillets or 5 to 6 minutes for fresh/thawed fish. Cook just until fish is opaque throughout.

Serves 2.

Recipe and Photo Credit: http://www.alaskaseafood.org/

***** To read why we all need to eat more salmon, check out the recent post on my Self Help Blog! One of the benefits may surprise (and delight) you.

Grilled Shrimp Salad Courtesy of a George Foreman Grill

by Joi on November 3, 2009

Baby Spinach is Love.

A few of my daughters and I often have lunch at Applebee’s in Owensboro, Kentucky. There is a particular salad that my oldest daughter (Emily) and I are addicted to. I’m kind of surprised that the servers don’t just bring it to us automatically. It’s a grilled shrimp and spinach salad with a vinaigrette dressing.

Few things tickle my fancy more than trying to play copy cat with restaurant recipes, so I tried to knock this one out a few days ago.

I bought a bag of frozen Salad Shrimp, some baby spinach, a jar of roasted red pepper, a purple onion (I refuse to call it red, it’s purple), sliced roasted almonds, and a few vinaigrettes – one was a Red Pepper Parmesan vinaigrette and the other was my personal favorite (Ken’s Steakhouse Raspberry Vinaigrette with Walnuts – What?! Why so good?).

I thawed the shrimp, then tossed it lightly with olive oil. I threw on a little seafood seasoning and grilled it on my beloved George Foreman Grill. Then I tossed it into a gorgeous bed of baby spinach and added coarsely chopped purple onion, red pepper slices, and almond slices. I didn’t add any fresh bacon crumbles because, frankly, I was out of bacon! However, it would have been a great addition.

If it had just been my daughters and I, I would have marinated the salad with the Raspberry Vinaigrette, but my husband (the silly man) doesn’t like it, so I kept the salad bare and allowed people to add the vinaigrette of their choice. He opted for the Red Pepper and Parmesan Vinaigrette. It would have been better if it had just been a red pepper vinaigrette (sans the Parmesan) – the Parmesan was unnecessary and just got in the way, in this particular salad anyway. The Raspberry was the better call, in my opinion.

If you’re looking for healthier lunch alternatives, this is a great one. It’s also quick and easy which is usually a popular scenario for lunches.

Another great alternative would be to go the way of the Orient, and replace the red peppers with mandarin oranges – then use a ginger-based vinaigrette and maybe crispy Asian noodles in addition to the almonds. I’d also throw in some edamame.. I basically just look for ways to add edamame to my day – love it.

Something Smells Fishy and It’s Breakfast

by Joi on October 23, 2009

Japanese Style Breakfast, Tokyo, Kanto, Japan

Japanese Style Breakfast, Tokyo, Photographic Print
Buy at AllPosters.com

I subscribe to quite a few Health and Fitness newsletters. One of my favorite is Doctor’s House Call by Al Sears, M.D. – In fact, if I had to whittle down my e-mail newsletters and only keep one, his would probably be the one.

This morning’s edition was about breakfast food and the importance of eating a healthy breakfast. His suggestions seemed a little unusual at first, but the more I think about them… the more I climb right up on board!

At the time of writing this particular newsletter, Dr. Sears was eating breakfast: Salmon. I can’t say that I have ever eaten fish for breakfast!

From this issue of Doctor’s House Call:

When the low-fat craze started decades ago, many turned their backs on the breakfast foods enjoyed fifty or sixty years ago. In their place, bread and cereal products took center stage.
Today, millions of people will reach for doughnuts, muffins, bagels, croissants and hundreds of different cereals during their morning routine. The big food makers even claim their cereals are “heart healthy.” That’s good for a laugh.

High-carb breakfasts do the opposite of what a good breakfast is supposed to do.

Instead of feeling alert and energetic, today’s breakfasts make you fat, slow and tired.

Bagels and doughnuts are fun in the morning, but after the initial buzz, your blood sugar will sharply drop. This will leave you feeling tired and sluggish. You’ll also have trouble concentrating. And if you’re busy at the office, that’s bad news.

Don’t forget that spikes in blood sugar trigger a flood of insulin. Do that all the time and you’re on the fast track to obesity and chronic disease.

For breakfast, protein is king. It’s my favorite meal of the day. I try and change it up to keep it interesting, but meat or fish is always the centerpiece of my morning meal.

As strange as it may sound to you, fish is a great breakfast food. The Japanese eat fish and vegetables first thing every morning. They have for over fifteen-hundred years.

To go with the meat or fish, I scramble some eggs and add a leafy vegetable – usually spinach. That way, I get a well-rounded meal; complete with lots of protein, essential nutrients and antioxidants.

All of a sudden, baked fish and scrambled eggs with spinach and tomatoes sound delicious. I’m sure I’d toss in a little of my beloved Sargento cheese and chives. Shrimp would also be fantastic in an omelet or scrambled eggs.

Now the good doctor has me craving fish and eggs. I hope my husband’s ready for some fishy breakfasts!

The Diabetes Seafood Cookbook by Barbara Seeig-Brown

by Joi on October 15, 2009

The Diabetes Seafood Cookbook

October is National Seafood Month, so what better time to tell you about a great cookbook featuring delicious seafood recipes. The Diabetes Seafood Cookbook: Fresh, Healthy, Low-Fat Cooking by Barbara Seelig-Brown is chock-full of recipes you’ll want to cook again and again, whether you or a loved one is diabetic or not. As a matter of fact, we’d all be a lot better off if we started eating more healthy foods such as the ones in this cookbook. Then, perhaps we’ll never have to hear a doctor tell us we’re diabetic. Words none of us ever want to hear.

From the Introduction:
We all know that we should incorporate more fish into our diet. It is low in fat, high in protein, and contains valuable vitamins and minerals, as well as omega-3 oils, which are polyunsaturated. The type of fat we consume is relevant for a heart-healthy diet, that being less than 30 percent of all calories from fat with less than 10 percent coming from saturated fats. Studies have been done showing that a healthy diet featuring a variety of foods, including fish, can actually decrease the risk for coronary disease and certain cancers, as well as increase longevity. Since people with diabetes are also at risk for heart disease, fish is an important component.

The introduction also includes a handy table which tells you which fish are high in mercury and which are low in mercury. You, of course, want to avoid fish with high mercury (thankfully my beloved sharks are high in mercury… so dont’ eat them!) Swordfish are also high in mercury.

Recipes inThe Diabetes Seafood Cookbook: Fresh, Healthy, Low-Fat Cooking include:

Crab and Artichoke Dip (calls for yogurt as opposed to sour cream – has to be better for you)
Garlic Shrimp on a Cucumber Flower
Shrimp Stromboli (I have a date with this one this weekend!)
Smoked Salmon and Hearts of Palm on Endive
Italian Fish Soup
Tortellini Soup with Seafood Medley (see the recipe below!)
White Bean Soup
Lemony Poached Salmon with a Fennel, Onion, and Olive Salad
Salmon with Sweet Potato Crust (YUMMMM!!! The author calls this recipe one of her personal favorites. She points out that it has “a spicy and flavorful crunch with added coolness from the sauce.”)
Salmon with Black Bean Salsa
Warm Shrimp and Bean Salad
Fillet with Tomatillo Salsa
Grilled Sea Bass with Vegetables
Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry
Shrimp, Baby Spinach and Pignoli
Cilantro and Sunflower Seed Pesto (the author recommends serving this pesto with the Shrimp Quesadilla, also in the book)
Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake
Pesto (one of my daughters has developed an intense allergy to tomatoes, soI plan on trying this recipe on pasta)

That’s just the tip of the iceberg lettuce, as we say in cooking circles. The Diabetes Seafood Cookbook: Fresh, Healthy, Low-Fat Cooking is filled with beautiful, delicious, and (most importantly) healthy recipes.

If you’re one of the clever individuals who is trying to replace red meat, pork, and chicken with as much seafood as possible – this book is a necessity. It’s the best investment in your health you could ever make for less than $20.00.

If you are incredibly committed to eating more seafood and less meat – you’ll find many elegant recipes in this cookbook that could easily replace a Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas Ham. There isn’t a holiday table in the world that woudn’t look deliciously beautiful with Grilled Tuna Over Baby Greens, Braised Baby Artichokes, or any one of the elegant Salmon recipes.

Recipe: Tortellini Soup with Seafood Medley
1TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
32 oz. no-salt-added chicken stock
32 oz. no-salt-added vegetable stock
28 oz no-sat-added diced tomatoes
12 oz. water
1 cup fresh bail, chopped
1/2 cup fresh oregano, roughly chopped
2 cups baby spinach
10 oz cheese tortellini
10 oz sliced fresh cremini mushrooms
1 (16) oz bag frozen seafood medley

Heat olive oil and garlic in soup pot over medium heat until garlic is fragrant.
Add chicken and vegetable stock, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil
Add basil, oregano, spinach, tortellini, and mushrooms. Cook until tortellini is almost done, approximately 6 minutes. Add seafood medley and cook for 3 minutes more. More water or stock can be added to achieve desired consistency.

Author’s Notes: “Make this Tortellini Soup with Seafood Medley on a moment’s notice. It can be on the table in 30 minutes or less.”

Cook’s Tip: Make this a pantry and freezer dish by keeping all the ingredients on hand for spur-of-the-moment cooking or unexpected company.

Exchanges/Choices: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 2 lean meat

Calories: 225 Calories from fat: 55

Total Fat: 6 G Saturated Fat : 1.8 G Trans Fat: 0 G

Cholesterol: 110 MG Sodium: 440 MG Total Carbohydrate: 26 G

Dietary Fiber: 3 G Sugars: 6 G Protein: 18 G

As the above recipe indicates, one of my favorite things about The Diabetes Seafood Cookbook: Fresh, Healthy, Low-Fat Cooking by Barbara Seelig-Brown is the fact that she’s with you on each page – giving you tips, advice, her personal experience, and healthful information you’ll very much need if you or someone you love is diabetic.

She’s looking after you!

Again, this is a fantastic cookbook whether you are diabetic or not.

Scales (sorry, I coudn’t resist) of 1 -10, I give this one a 10, easily.

Choosing Delicious Seafood That’s Healthy for You and the Environment

by Joi on June 8, 2009

I gotta tell you, I’m completely nuts over seafood. When it comes to most meats, I could probably adopt a vegetarian diet – I’m just not overly, overly committed to them. But fish? Shrimp? Forget about it!

Seafood is healthy, delicious, and improves your posture. Okay, maybe it doesn’t improve your posture – but the rest is dead on.

The only problem is, sometimes seafood isn’t healthy, and sometimes our choices and practices are bad for the ocean. I love the ocean more than I love a seafood meal – so I want to do the right thing. Fortunately, the NRDC has put together an awesome resource that gives us everything we need to know. I just read their Sustainable Seafood Guide – How to Choose Delicious Seafood That’s Healthy For You and the Environment – and I kept going, “Oh, I didn’t know that,” “Oh really?,” and “Ooooh.” Give it a look, unless you’re the one that wrote the article, you’re sure to learn a few things as well.

Also, their seafood expert has a blog with even more information: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/lpagano/new_guide_eat_healthy_sustaina.html

Have a great Monday. I’ve got my coffee and chocolate to the left and my cat Alexa to the right. I’m off to a great start!

Chilled Shrimp Salad Recipe from Self Magazine

by Joi on March 31, 2009

Chilled Shrimp Salad Recipe from Self Magazine The gloriously beautiful and nutritious salad recipe below is courtesy of Self Magazine’s web site, Self.com. It’s just one of the lettuce-less salads they recently featured in a slide show.

These salads are from the April 2009 issue and, in addition to the Chilled Shrimp Salad (below), include an Udon Noodle Salad. It looks AMAZING and I can’t wait to try it. As a shrimp addict, however, I have to go for the Chilled Shrimp Salad first, though.

The Chilled Shrimp Salad is rich in protein, antioxidants, and niacin (which, as Self points out, is great for your skin). Click HERE to see all of these great salad recipes. While on the site, check out the tons of other healthy recipes and articles. I could spend hours on their site reading articles without ever looking up.

CHILLED SHRIMP SALAD RECIPE

from Self Magazine

Dressing

* 1 clove garlic, chopped
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 6 tablespoons orange juice
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad

* Juice and rind from 1 lemon
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (tail intact)
* 4 chunks watermelon (1 lb each), cut from the rind, cut into cubes
* 1 pound heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
* 1/3 cup crumbled feta
* 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn

For dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender.

For salad: Fill a 4-quart saucepan with water and bring to a boil; add lemon juice, lemon rind, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt. Add shrimp, cover, remove from heat and let stand until shrimp is cooked, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool 10 minutes, then refrigerate 30 minutes. Line a large platter with watermelon and tomatoes. Top with shrimp, feta and basil. Drizzle with dressing.

431 calories per serving, 9.6 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 3.7 g fiber, 49.4 g carbs, 41 g protein

A Couple of Delicious Ideas For Your George Foreman Grill

by Joi on November 25, 2008

Two of my favorite humans of the male persuasion (or any persuasion for that matter) have recently impressed me at the healm of my George Foreman grill.

Emily’s (daughter #1) boyfriend, Dill, made us all some delicious shrimp a few nights ago. He took the frozen shrimp from the bag (he didn’t even thaw them out) and placed them on the grill. As they were cooking, he seasoned some of them with a spicy blend of seasonings and the rest with lemon-pepper.

They cooked amazingly fast and I can’t even tell you how delicious they were. I fixed a spinach-artichoke dip and served it with pretzel rods and tortilla chips to go along with the shrimp.

Delicous!

Last night, my husband got creative with the grill. He normally does most of his cooking on the patio, but when the temperature gets below 35, he moves his “buns” inside.

He marinated a few skirt steaks in one of A1′s new Heavenly marinades. After he sprayed the grill with a little cooking oil, he cooked the steaks while warming up a few cans of French Onion soup. After the meat was through cooking, he placed them on sourdough bread, topped them with provolone cheese and put them in the Panini Press.

We served the sandwiches with the soup which was perfect for dipping. These were incredibly good. I have to say I made a complete and total pig out of myself.

And I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

Each of these recipes would be ideal for game day treats. They’re fast, simple, and clean up is a minimum. Best of all? They’re delicious.

A Panini Press
and/or one of George Foreman grills would make splendid Christmas gifts. You don’t have to be a frequent or accomplished cook to use them. The guys who waxed brilliant on my George Foreman grill this weekend don’t cook that often – but GF helped them achieve delicious results. A Panini Press is also ideally suited for everyone on your list. It’s about as simple to use as a pencil.

The grill pictured above is the George Foreman GRP99 Next Generation Grill w/Removable Plates N. My own George Foreman grill is a much older model (one of the first huge ones they made) – I have used it for years and it’s still going strong. That says a lot about how exceptionally made these grills are. Mine was even dropped in our last move. I thought it was history – but, like George, it can’t be knocked out that easily.

Crab and Citrus Salad

by Joi on October 12, 2008

The following light and healthy salad recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks “Cooking Light: An Exciting Compilation of Light Recipes.” I actually found this unique cookbook on a bargain table of all places, in a bookstore in Pensacola, Florida about 4 years ago. I’ve used it regularly since and have never seen it anywhere else.

This is one of the recipes I promised in the last post – another “Pink Food!”

CRAB AND CITRUS SALAD

8 oz. crab meat (or imitation crab – it’s what I actually use)
2 oranges
2 lemons
2 limes
1 pink grapefruit
1 small head of iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
6 TBS heavy cream
1 TBS chili sauce
1 TBS brandy (I use flavoring)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
salt
2 TBS salad oil

1. Chop up the crab. You want bite-sized servings. Set aside.
2. Mix the the following together: yogurt, chili sauce, cream, brandy flavoring, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt. Toss with the crabmeat.
3. Take a very thin strip of peel from each of the citrus fruits. Scrape off the bitter pith and discard. Cut each strip of peel into thin slivers. Put into boiling water and allow to boil for about 1 minute. Drain, refresh under cold water and set aside.
4. Peel each of the citrus fruits and cut into segments. Do this over a bowl, so you can reserve the delicious juices.
5. Add the salad oil to the juice in the bowl, and toss with the fruit segments. Shred the iceberg lettuce and arrange on plates. Put the crabmeat mixture on top of the lettuce.
6. Arrange citrus segments over and around crabmeat and sprinkle citrus peel over the top.

If you read the articles I told you about in the last post, you know how much your body’s going to love all of this citrus. This salad is as good for you as it is good. It’s also very, very, very beautiful. If you’re making food for a “Pink party,” you could of course either add a little more grapefruit or just make sure you place it all on top.

I’m making this beautiful salad sometime this week – and I’ll put a picture in this post as soon as we take one. (I was planning to make it this weekend, but can’t find crabmeat in my local stores!)

VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE: Leaveth out the crab.

Food That’s Pretty in Pink! – Pink Food that Pays Tribute to Survivors of Breast Cancer

by Joi on October 12, 2008

Fair Time Cotton Candy Art Print Buy at AllPosters.com

I received an e-mail from a lady this weekend who was looking for “Pink food” for a party her workplace was giving for breast cancer survivors. What an absolutely inspired and beautiful idea! The premise touches me so much that I thought I’d create a post in its honor AND in honor of the individuals who have fought this demon and are having the last laugh.

According to Breast Cancer.org, breast cancer survivors AND those of us wishing to never fight the battle on our home turf should cut out as much fat from our diets as possible. We should most definitely eat more vegetables and fruit. If one’s overweight, they should lose it and keep it off. Exercise is also highly recommended. I guess if a person cuts out fat, fills up on fruits and vegetables, and gets plenty of exercise – the weight will pretty much take care of itself!

My own aunt (Penny) stared it in the eye and I can honestly say that one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed in all my life is the grace with which she did so. I remember her once saying how that a lot of people say, “Why me?” when they’ve been diagnosed with cancer – but that she thought, “Well… Why not me?” She always said that she had God on her side, so she knew she was in good hands. Apparently the best!

Below are some ideas for “pink foods,” including links to recipes, more information, etc. I’ve researched what foods experts have said are especially healthy foods for people dealing with breast cancer and/or those trying to keep it from showing up on their doorstep. These foods/drinks are in bold. If you have any other ideas to add, I’d love for you to leave them in the comments!

Baked Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing. (I’ll be writing my own favorite recipe for Sugar Cookies as well as a recipe fro the BEST Cream Cheese Icing you ever tasted in the next post. I’ll include a picture of how they look wearing their pink bling!) You can either tint the icing to pink using a little red, buy pink food coloring in a cake decorating store or craft’s aisle, or do as I do (simply because I HATE food coloring with a colorful passion) – sprinkle on prink crystals from the baking aisle.
Pink Grapefruit! Cut into chunks and chill. A fruit salad could be created by adding strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and grapes. Sure, it allows a little more colors in than pink – but it also allows a LOT of antioxidants and healthy vitamins in.
Serve Milk made Sexy with Nestlee’s Quick Strawberry Pink Mix. You get your Vitamin D, it’s a beautiful shade of pink AND most of our mothers used to make this for us a lot, trying to sneak milk past us – so it’s a beautiful comfort food. Experts say that Vitamin D curbs the growth of cancerous cells.
Salmon – Granted, salmon may prove a bit of a challenge for luncheons – but if you can manage to grill, broil, or steam your salmon steaks right before it’s time to eat, they’re beautifully healthy and marvelously pink. (Salmon’s also a good source of Vitamin D.)
Shrimp - Again, you’d have to be very careful to keep it on ice, but shrimp cocktail would be a great thing to serve at a Pink Party. It’ delicious, healthy, and pinkish. If you add a little horseradish to your cocktail sauce, you can even make it a little pinker. (Shrimp’s also a good source of Vitamin D.)

Hot dogs! – When I told my husband what I was doing when he caught me thinking (rare things always draw attention), the first thing he said was, “Hot dogs.” And right he is! A delicious way to serve them is to cut the weiners (traditional or “veggie”) into thirds. Wrap uncooked bacon around each and fasten to the weiner with a toothpick. Do so with the entire package. Place all of them, toothpicks up, in a large crockpot. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Cook on Low until they’re “done.” Healthy? Not particularly. Delicious? Decidedly so.
Ham slices – About as pink as it gets.
Pink Lemonade
Pink Cotton Candy – You can usually find some pre-packaged in a department store. Another option would be to buy a Cotton Candy Machine and make your own!
Strawberry Ice Cream. – Served either alone or in pink ice cream cones. You could even tie an all-important and symbolic pink ribbon around each cone.
Create Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Color them pink! After I exhausted my brain power (I heard that!), I googled, “Baby Shower food ideas” – knowing that they often focus on blues and pinks. I found the following recipe for Chocolate Covered Strawberries and am now craving one big time! -
Don’t forget about the beautiful reds that are, after all, in Pink’s family. They’re one of her parents, after all! Pomegranates, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, red pepper, red onion, etc. Each of these, when combined with other foods will more than serve as stand ins for pink.
Strawberry Soup
Japanese Fishcake – Granted, you may need a Japanese Restaurant for this one, but just look at the picture below. Gorgeous!

Japanese Fishcake
Keep in mind, when your plates, napkins, and collective mindset is PINK, even foods that don’t look particularly pink by themselves will appear pink. You can also think about and focus on the meanings of the other colors as well. For example, White stands for purity, Blue stands for loyalty, and Red envokes thoughts of bravery, boldness and power.

If you go to your local bakery and tell them you’re preparing a special “Pink Party,” I know they’ll be able to offer up some amazing advice and pink delicasies. People love to feel helpful and to feel like they’re part of the battle – fighting on the side of the brave! It’ll also be the winning side.

Pink Poster Buy at AllPosters.com

Some Fun Pink Ideas:

If you have enough time, buy (or rent) a cotton candy machine and make your own pink (of course) cotton candy.

When buying napkins, toothpicks, etc – don’t just check the nearest department or grocery store. Hit up a special Birthday, Party or Card outlet store. Don’t just check the birthday section either – head over to the baby shower supplies. Lots of girly pink!

Go to your nearest Hot Topic and buy pink coloring for your hair – I double dog dare you!

Play Pink’s music. Hang her posters around and shake your fist in breast cancer’s face! Tell it, “You think we’re weak? We’ve got your weak!”

Useful Links:

How Do They Make Cotton Candy?

Buy Cotton Candy Online in Bulk

Pre-Made Cotton Candy and Cotton Candy Machine Rentals

NSAID’s Might Lower Breast Cancer Risk

Six Foods That Fight Cancer! (A MUST READ)

The Breast Cancer Diet (Another MUST READ) This diet heralds the importance of whole grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, beans, citrus fruits (bodes well for our pink grapefruit, right?), dairy products, soy, garlic, herbs and spices (for their cancer-fighting phytochemicals), evoo, fiber, and green tea (the author of the Breast Cancer Diet drinks almost as much green tea as I do! She writes, “I make a half-gallon pitcher of iced green tea every other day. I drink it for the promising anticancer activity of a compound it contains called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).”) If you know someone who is a breast cancer survivor or are interested in increasing your protection against the demon, read this article. It’s very well-written and wonderfully informative.

*** I’ll be adding more recipes throughout the day including my favorite Sugar Cookie recipe that I almost always frost with the BEST Cream Cheese Icing on earth. I also have a few other recipes I rounded up. The problem is, my much beloved and adorable 20 year old cat Prissy (who recently suffered another stroke) has decided to go to sleep right on top of the recipe books I had laid out. Needless to say I’ll be waiting for my little antique girl to wake up and move. Time with her is so precious, I let her do what she wants to do, when she wants to do it. And right now, she wants to sleep on mommy’s work!

Breast Cancer Ribbon: Weak? We've Got Your Weak.