Grilled New Potatoes with Lemon Aoili and Chives

As I return to writing my Clean Eating blog, there seems like there is so much to catch up on, I don't know where to start.  So, I'll start with stating the obvious: when spring hits in New England, there is nothing I want to do more with my food, than throw it on the grill!  My father would say that grilling is a year round event, and he'll snow blow around his Weber in mid-January to make sure that chicken wings are served at a family gathering.

That being said, I'm not a snowshoe girl, and I rarely make an appearance in front of my grill until the trees start budding, and the birds start chirping...sorry dad! So, when I was staring at the pork tenderloin that sat lonely in my fridge, I needed to decide what kind of sides I wanted to prepare with it, and I immediately went to the guru of grilling himself (no not my dad, although he'll argue otherwise), Bobby Flay.

I have referenced his Grilling for Life book before, and I went straight to this book again to choose which starch would accompany my grilled pork tenderloin.  This day, I chose the Grilled New Potatoes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli and Chives.  Although aiolis typically are high in fat because of the mayonnaise, it's important to remember to choose an olive oil based mayo, and to substitute part of the measurement with plain non-fat Greek yogurt.  Although it can be a little tart, the texture remains the same, and very little change occurs in the delicious taste.

Grilled New Potatoes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli and Chives
Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 lbs. small New Potatoes, unpeeeled
1/2 c. olive oil based Mayonnaise
1/4 c. plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. chives, finely chopped

 

Directions:
1. In a large pot of salted water, boil the potatoes until just cooked through but not completely soft, 10-15 minutes depending on size.  Test by piercing a potato with a thin bamboo skewer; when the skewer meets some resistance but can slide all the way through, the potatoes are ready. Drain the potatoes and set aside until cool enough to handle.
2. Combine the mayo, Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, zest, 1/4 tsp. of salt and pepper each, and place in a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Heat your grill to high.
4. Cut the potatoes in half, brush the cut sides with olive oil, and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Grill the potatoes cut side down until golden brown and just cooked through, 2-3 minutes.
5. Place the potatoes on a platter, drizzle with the aioli, and sprinkle with the chives.  Serve warm.

Comments:
I absolutely LOVED this dish!  I am a huge fan of citrus, especially when it's not overpowering.  The lemon-garlic aioli adds a nice, light flavor to the dish, and brings a new characteristic to these starchy potatoes.  The pictures that you see above are not a serving for six, so don't be surprised when you make this dish and it seems like you have a ton of potatoes.  The full recipe is a great idea for cookouts, where you'll have more than a few guests over to enjoy your lighter, cleaner version of a potato salad.

I also chose to toss my potatoes in the aioli itself, rather than just drizzling the sauce on top.  I did this to ensure even coverage, and because I wanted to avoid having one potato with a ton of flavor, and one that barely had any.  This is a great example of how you can modify whatever recipe you're making to tailor your food preferences.  Appearance wise,  placing the potatoes on a platter, drizzling them with aioli, and then topping them with sprinkled chives, I'm sure looks beautiful and amazing.  However, you can make the choice as to how you would like to present your fancy potato salad to your arriving guests.

Grilled Peaches with Yogurt Walnut Topping

Grilled fruit?!?!  YUP!  If you ask me, people don't grill enough different types of foods.  I grill meats, fruits, pizzas.  I'd grill pasta if I could, but much like the Tater-tot incident with my friend Mandy in our youth, turns out the pasta falls through the grates.  

The great thing about grilling fruit, is that it has all the natural sugars that are needed to caramelize the outside.  Add those with a titch of cinnamon and a sprinkle of Stevia, and all of a sudden you're tasting something that you would have sworn was way too decadent to be healthy.

Ingredients:
2 Peaches, ripened
1 tbsp. Canola oil
2 tsp. Cinnamon, divided
2 tsp. Stevia, divided
4 tbsp. Fat-free Greek Yogurt
1 splash of Vanilla extract
2 tbsp. Walnuts, toasted

Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits.  It should be noted here that if you get under-ripened peaches you'll have a heck of a time trying to get them in half and remove the pit.  You have been warned.  Brush the cut side of the peach with canola oil (or any oil that can withstand high temperatures) and sprinkle all four pieces with 1 tsp. of cinnamon and 1 tsp. of Stevia.  Place the peaches, cut side down, on a grill heated to medium high.

Give the fruit about 5-7 minutes to caramelize on the cut side, checking regularly to make sure that it is not burning, and flip.  Allow to cook on the other side for an additional 5-7 minutes.  You'll know the peaches are done when both sides are browned, and they squish easily when you grab them with tongs.  

To make the yogurt topping, place the yogurt, 1 tsp. of cinnamon, tsp. of Stevia, and a splash of vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk.  Garnish each peach with 1 tbsp. of the yogurt topping, and sprinkle on the toasted walnuts.  

Appreciate this dish because so often in the summer season in New England we are surrounded by cookies, and brownies, and everything else that is full of fillers.  Choose fruit salad, or better yet, choose grilled fruit salad.  It tastes better, and who doesn't love the smokey flavor of Cowboy charcoal on everything from meats to fruits?

Grilled Sea Scallops

When my husband and I fire up the grill, WE GRILL!  The scallops stumbled onto our grill because we were planning on doing Bison burgers, and I stopped at the Fish Market to get Arctic Char, so we figured, why not some grilled Sea Scallops?  Super easy, and although some people consider scallops a fatty seafood, they are a very good source of nutrients that promote cardio-vascular health with vitamin B-12, Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and potassium.  That's all the information I need to convince me to eat grilled scallops.  SOLD!

Ingredients:

8 Sea Scallops
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1/2 Lemon rind
2 tbsp. Extra-virgin Olive Oil
1 Garlic clove, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Always make sure to rinse and soak your scallops for at least 10 minutes, if you don't, you end up with seafood that tastes like pee.  No joke.  I made seafood chowder once, forgot to do this, threw them in the chowder, and my husband and I were choking it down.  

Mix the lemon, lemon rind, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl.  If you get jumbo sea scallops, you won't need to skewer them, so lay them on a plate, and brush them with the olive oil and lemon marinade.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  I love the flavor of fresh seafood, so I find it unnecessary to marinate them, and instead let the natural flavor be the dominate taste, and use the other seasonings to enhance the flavor.  

Place the scallops on a grill heated to medium-high.  Let them sit on the grate for about 4-5 minutes before turning them.  Flip, and let them cook for another 4-5 minutes.  Too many people overcook scallops, and then end up with a rubbery texture.  Let them get nice and seared, but don't cook them all the way through, unless you prefer them that way.