What’s For Dinner Wednesday? Sesame Peanut Noodles

Thinking Chinese? This quick and easy recipe is a healthier version of the restaurant variety. Give it a try. Here’s what you’ll need:

8 oz. whole wheet spaghetti

For dressing:
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tablespoons grated ginger
1 Tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Juice of one lime
1/2 cup water, hot

For the assembly:
1/2 bag store-bought coleslaw mix
1/2 cup red pepper
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 a lime, squeezed
1/2 cup apple
1/2 cup jicama
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, julienne

For garnish:
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts
chopped cilantro
lime wedges

Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta and cook per directions on the pkg. Drain and run under cold water. Set aside.

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients into a small mixing bowl and stir together with a whisk. Add the dressing to the pasta and toss. Stir in the coleslaw mix, red pepper and cilantro. Squeeze 1/2 a lime over and toss.

Add the remaining ingredients, toss and refrigerate for one hour. Garnish with dry-roasted peanuts, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve

Try this at home and let me know what you think. You can reach me at jboven@livewellhomes.net. Happy eating!

What’s For Dinner Wednesday? Broccoli Noodle Salad

Okay, so this is not actually dinner. But, it is a wonderful and easy side item. Next barbeque you go to, take this. Forget the cole slaw and potato salad. Bring this. And be prepared to tell everyone how you made it. It is that good.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 – 16 oz pkg broccoli coleslaw mix
2 – 3 oz pkg ramen noodles ( I get the oriental flavor)
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar

In a large bowl, combine slaw mix, broken noodles and onions.

Whisk together sugar, oil, vinegar and one seasoning packet from the noodles. Pour over salad and mix. Refrigerate until chilled. Mix with nuts and sunflower seeds before serving.

That’s it. Try it and let me know what you think. You can reach me at jboven@livewellhomes.net or post to my facebook page – Jana Boven. Either way, I’d love to hear from you. Happy Eating!

What’s For Dinner Wednesday? Portobello Mushroom Tuna Melt

This tuna melt loses the carbs and gets a little more sophisticated yet simple. It’s a snap to make. Here’s what you’ll need:

4 Portobello mushrooms, stemmed, gills removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (5 oz) can albacore tuna packed in water, drained
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt & Pepper
4 deli-thin slices Swiss cheese
4 slices tomato
1/2 cup mixed baby greens

Preheat the broiler. Brush the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon oil. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and broil, turning once until softened and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, in a bowl, combine tuna, celery, parsley, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining tablespoon oil.

Remove the mushrooms from the oven. Divide tuna mixture among mushrooms, and spread evenly in caps. Top each with a slice of cheese, and broil until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Top each mushroom with a tomato slice and 2 tablespoons greens, and serve imediately.

See? Easy Peezy. You know what else is easy? b
Buying a new home with LiveWell Homes. Yep, we make it easy. Go to www.livewellhomes.net to see all of our beautiful communities. Hope to see you soon. You can also email me at jboven@livewellhomes.net. Happy eating!

From The Ground Up….Matthews Tennis Swim & Driving Range

Welcome back to the blog. The unusually warm weather this week got me thinking about outdoor activities like swimming, golf and tennis. Since my new home neighborhood called Springbrook by LiveWell Homes does not have an amenity (we will be a very small community of about 35 homes), I thought I might feature one of the local clubs you could join. This week it’s the Matthews Tennis Club, just 4.8 short miles from home.

The Matthews Tennis Swim & Driving Range is located at 2110 Pleasant Plains Road in Matthews, NC. There is a small clubhouse with grill, abundant tennis courts, (7 clay and 3 hard courts),  a swimming pool, and a nice driving range to hit balls. 4 of the clay courts and 1 hard court are lit for night play. The dues are very reasonable and if you click here you will connected their web-site for information. See the photos in the slide show below.

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What’s For Dinner Wednesday? Bronzed Salmon

By now, everybody knows there are good fats and bad fats.  This recipe includes some of the best.  Salmon is so good for you and just so good!  This will only take a few minutes to make, so enjoy!  Here’s what you’ll need:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 pounds salmon, cut into 4 filets

1 1/2 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

1/4 cup white wine

1 Tablespoon trans-fat free margarine

Add the olive oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high to high heat.  Once sizzling, add salmon.

Cook salmon until bottom browns, about 3 – 4 minutes.  Flip salmon and season the browned top liberally with the Old Bay.  Reduce heat to medium and cover pan, cooking 1 minute.

Add white wine and margarine and cook an additional 2 minutes or until salmon is cooked and a light pink color throughout.  Serve garnished with fresh lemon wedges and drizzled with the liquid from the pan.

That’s it!  So easy and so good for you.  Let me know what you think.  You can email me at jboven@livewellhomes.net.  Happy Eating!

From the Ground Up….Swiss Farms

NEW BUSINESS  TO OPEN NEAR MATTHEWS, NC

Some of you may remember when there was no such thing as a remote for the TV. Believe it or not you had to get up off the couch and change the channels by hand. More of you may remember when there were no power windows or power seats in your car. You had a crank to roll down the windows and a lever to move the seat forward or back. Along those same lines of convenience is a new grocery store called Swiss Farms about to open near Matthews, NC off Sardis Road North and Monroe Road. You won’t even have to get out of your car. As they say you just drive on up, and drive on through. Pretty darn cool concept as long as the price for this ultra convenience is fair. And that’s just what owner Mike Lang said his prices will be.

Sort of a combination grocery store, convenience store, and fast food restaurant. Just a few of the items they will carry are fresh brewed coffee and fountain drinks, fresh bread and milk, ice cream, snacks, baked goods, deli items, produce, eggs, cheese, rotisserie chicken and more. Even beer and wine to go. The company has actually been in business since 1968, but this will be the first store in North Carolina. We here at the LiveWell Homes Springbrook New Home Neighborhood wish him well with his new business. After all his store is less than a mile from our new home community. We know Swiss Farms will be a benefit to our homeowners. Picture a rainy day. All you need is two or 3 items, maybe a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, and a bag of chips. You don’t want to stop at the big box grocer and get wet going in and out. As their motto says, some places say “come on in” Swiss Farms says “drive on “thru” 

Mike, I have to drive right by you every day coming and going to work, so keep some fresh coffee brewing for me and make sure the beer is cold. Best of luck with your grand opening!

What’s For Dinner Wednesday? Pasta Primavera!

It’s an absolutely beautiful day here in the Carolinas so I want to make something light and easy for dinner.  We love to sit outside with our pets on days like today and this recipe won’t take long. I decided on Pasta Primavera.  It is so easy to make and only takes about 20 minutes – that includes the boiling of the pasta! Here’s what you will need:

12 oz. bow-tie pasta
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 (10 oz) bag frozen Italian-style veggies
1 1/3 cups chicken broth
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute garlic in 2 Tablespoons olive oil for 30 seconds. Add veggies and broth. Reduce heat and cook for 8 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender.

Stir in pasta, 2 Tablespoons basil, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon basil, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.

Told you it was easy! You can add ready made chicken strips if you want a heartier meal. Try this at home tonight and let me know what you think. You can always reach me at jboven@livewellhomes.net. Happy eating!

From The Ground Up….Jet’s Pizza

Another in my series of great businesses, stores, schools, parks, and fun things to do that are convenient to my LiveWell Homes Neighborhood called Springbrook near Matthews, NC. And what a side benefit it is when you are choosing a location to build a new home, if there are great attractions close and convenient to where you choose to live. This week I tried a brand new pizza place called “Jet’s Pizza” located at 920 Park Center Drive in Matthews. 704 845-1015. I did not know it but Jet’s is the seventeenth largest pizza chain in the US-based on volume. The first store opened in 1978 in Sterling Heights Michigan. Had a really good deep dish square pizza and a great Greek salad. Will have to go back for one of their trademark sandwiches made between 2 slices of pizza dough. Called a Jetzee Sub. Was it the best pizza I ever had? No-But I have eaten a ton of pizza over the years in some really good places. It was pretty darn good though, the place is super clean, and the staff was very attentive and extra friendly. I will definitely go back. Give them a try when you can. Took some photos and they are below. About 4 short miles from my Springbrook Community.

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What’s For Dinner Wednesday? Bistro Beef Loin

Tenderloin is a wonderful cut of beef and this recipe is fantastic for a dinner-party or a family dinner. Even if it’s for just a couple of people, the leftovers are great! Trim off any visible silver skin which is a tough membrane along the curve of the tenderloin. Serve this with roasted veggies for a wonderful and easy meal. Here’s what you’ll need:

One 3-pound beef tenderloin, trimmed of fat
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2/3 chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley, chervil, tarragon & thyme
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Tie kitchen string around the meat in three places so it doesn’t flatten while roasting. Rub the tenderloin with oil; pat on salt and pepper. Place in a large roasting pan.

Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 140 degrees for medium-rare, about 45 minutes, turning two or three times during roasting to ensure even cooking. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes. Remove string.

Place herbs on a large plate. Coat the tenderloin evenly with the mustard; then roll in the herbs, pressing gently to adhere. Slice and serve.

See how easy?!? I do this for just me and my husband and we will eat the leftovers for a couple of meals. You can make fabulous beef fajitas or have the hearty breakfast of steak and eggs! Let me know what you think. Email me at jboven@livewellhomes.net. Happy Eating!

From The Ground Up….Charlotte Burger Blog

On doing the research for my story last week I came across a great blog that I wanted to share with everyone. It’s the Charlotte Burger Blog. As you recall I did a review of a special burger place I had visited called Mueller’s Neighborhood Grill. I wrote about Meuller’s because I like to feature great places and fun things to do that are convenient to my new home neighborhood called Springbrook by LiveWell Homes near Matthews, NC. If you subscribe to The Charlotte Burger Blog you can find out about many more great burger joints in the greater Charlotte area. They keep adding about one more place every week. If you ask me they are doing a great service for all the burger lovers in this great town. Their mission is to eat burgers at every place they are served in Charlotte. They focus on the places that are not chains and not corporate, you know the places that have some charm and character. Not that they don’t eat at chains or even like the chains, they just don’t feel like they are interesting to write or read about. I like that about their blog. You will truly be amazed by the amount of information you will find at the charlotteburgerblog.com. Thanks guys!