Asparagus Potato Salad

Potato salad is one of those summer staples that you see at every cookout but rarely want to actually eat. Mushy potatoes swimming in mayo with little flavor is not my idea of a tasty treat. So I knew I could do better.

This salad combines tasty baby potatoes (I am in love with these multicolored ones) with fresh, seasonal asparagus. Adding a ton of veggies helps to keep the calories down and adds a tasty crunch to the dish. I used bacon, shallot and fresh chives for flavors and tossed everything with a light mustard vinaigrette.

This salad was incredible warm. I ate cold leftovers the next day and it was still super tasty and flavorful. The key is to just barely cook the asparagus, that way it will retain its nice crunch without feeling too raw.

I also wanted to give y'all a garden update! Things are coming along. My peas are growing like crazy and I'm excited to see how big they get. The kale and Brussels sprouts are coming along nicely on the porch.

In the ground, I have tomatoes, basil, cayenne and jalapeno peppers, butternut squash and baby watermelons. Watching everything grow is so much fun! I can't wait till August when I can start cooking with all this stuff!

Read more for the potato salad recipe

Baked Spring Veggie Risotto

Like every other person on the planet, I LOVE risotto! What I don't love is that it is an incredibly high maintenance dish that requires lots of stirring and watching and waiting. I wanted to find a way to create a easy risotto that has all the creamy comfort of the original with minimal work. The secret is to BAKE the risotto. Now I know you may be skeptical, and I was too, but after a bit of experimentation, I created Weeknight Risotto.

Now I couldn't resist making some other healthy modifications to this dish, so there is no butter, minimal cheese, and I substituted healthy pearled barley for traditional arborio. Barley is a wonderful whole grain that creates a creamy texture to the dish. I used spring vegetables as an inspiration and added leeks, peas and asparagus. A bit of lemon juice and some fresh Parmesan add intense, light flavor.

This is one of those dishes that feels so bad, but is really so good. It's light, simple and you throw everything in the oven and serve. I topped it with some fresh Parmesan and an herb gremolata.

And now onto the giveaway ... 


And the winner of the Cast Iron Skillet Giveaway is: Lauren from The Hippie Dog Company

Congrats Lauren! And thank you to everyone who entered. This was such a blast that I'm planning another giveaway for next month. Stay tuned! 

Read more for the Baked Risotto Recipe!!!

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Vietnamese food is one of my all time favorite ethnic cuisines. I know that sounds like a bold statement, but I have never met a Vietnamese dish I didn't absolutely love. There is a certain lightness to Vietnamese dishes that, combined with intense flavors, makes for a tasty and guiltless meal. One signature dish that most people are familiary with is pho (pronounced fuh), which is a salty beef noodle soup. I love me some pho but I am really partial to this delicious cabbage salad, called goi ga. It combines lots of crunchy veggies with chicken and a salty, spicy dressing.

You can use plain boiled or grilled chicken for this salad, but I decided to dress it up a bit. I marinated some boneless, skinless chicken breast in a lemongrass marinade. The result was an intense flavor that added a lot to the simple salad. I made another recipe with the leftover chicken that I'll put up later this week.

In other news, we finally planted our garden this week after weeks of sprouting our plants. Right now I have planted tomatoes, basil, butternut squash, kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and watermelon. I've also got three different varieties of chili peppers and basil. It was a lot of work getting everything prepared and organized, but I am so thrilled with the result.

Have you entered my Cast Iron Skillet Giveaway? It ends on Friday at 5pm!

Full recipe after the jump!

Baked Cattle Beans and a Giveaway!!!

I can't believe it's almost Memorial Day. The official start of summer!!! This is exciting for a number of reasons, mainly lots and lots of great cookouts to host and attend. I am also thrilled that my grandparents are coming to visit this weekend from Texas. I am always excited to see them and I have lots of great recipes planned for the weekend's festivities.

I will absolutely be bringing these baked beans along to every cookout this summer. Craig is constantly requesting baked beans, so I had to finally oblige. I used some gorgeous cattle beans, which are also called trout beans. Cattle beans are plump, red and white speckled beans. They are full flavored with a nutty aftertaste and hold their shape and texture for long cooking. If you can't find cattle (or trout) beans at your local grocery store, red kidney or great northern beans can be substituted.

I am a firm believer that dry beans make for the tastiest baked beans. Because you are cooking them at high temperature for a long time, dry beans hold their texture better and have a more intense flavor. Planning ahead is necessary, but it is totally worth the extra effort.

I sought to create a flavorful recipe that wouldn't be too heavy, soupy or sweet. The beans themselves are the centerpiece of this dish, combined with a bit of salty bacon, molasses and fresh sage for flavor. The result is an addictive, but light dish that will compliment any type of barbecue.

GIVEAWAY! 

In honor of the start of summer, I wanted to reward all my loyal and beautiful readers with a giveaway! I love reading your comments and emails and have gotten to know so many of you. As you all know, I am obsessed with my cast iron skillet and use it for everything. So it seemed like the perfect giveaway for my loyal Gen Y Foodie readers.

Cast iron skillets are versatile, easy to store, and lend themselves to many different types of recipes. My preferred brand, Lodge, manufactures their product in the USA and has a lifetime warranty!

Cast iron skillets are also a healthy cooking tool because they are a chemical free alternative to Teflon or non-stick pans, allow you to use less oil when you cook, and fortify your food with iron.

So I am giving away one Lodge 10-1/4" Cast Iron Skillet to one lucky reader.

THERE ARE FOUR WAYS TO ENTER: (all separate comments)

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me what you'd like to cook with this skillet.
2. "Like" Gen Y Foodie on Facebook and leave me a comment saying you did so or letting me know if you already do.
3. Follow Gen Y Foodie on Twitter and leave me a comment saying you did so or letting me know if you already do.
4. Tweet about this giveaway by saying "I just entered @GenYFoodie's Giveaway http://bit.ly/JLKzqi" and leave a comment saying you did.

The giveaway ends at 5pm EST on Friday May 25th. Winner will be announced on Tuesday May 29th. 

Valid in the USA and Canada only. 

Read more for the full recipe: Baked Cattle Beans

Bulgur with Kale and Walnuts

So I've been meaning to experiment with bulgur for a while. As you know, I love whole grains and I am obsessed with finding new and exciting ways to eat them. Unfortunately, many of my favorite grains take a really long time to cook, so I was intrigued that bulgur can be prepared in less than 20 minutes.

Bulgur is made from pre-cooked, cracked wheat berries. It is naturally high in fiber, low in fat and vegetarian/vegan. It is a great substitute for rice because it has more fiber and nutrients, but has a lower glycemic index. A cup of cooked bulgur has only 151 calories while packing in 8.2 grams of fiber and 5.6 grams of protein! However, as a wheat product, it is not suitable for people on a gluten-free diet.

So, bulgur is quick, easy and nutritious. But how does it taste? Great! It has a similar consistency to couscous but with a bit of nutty flavor like quinoa. I can see why it's a popular addition to soups.

For my bulgur experiment, I was inspired by this recipe from Eating Well. I stir fried some kale with onion and walnuts and tossed everything with some olive oil and white wine vinegar. I also added some optional cherry tomatoes for color and crunch since I had some lying around. This recipe was flavorful and filling. Serving size is about 1 cup and this recipe should serve 4 with a bit to spare.

Read more for the full recipe!