#recipesfromtheheart Arugula Salad with Sundried Tomatoes and Mushrooms plus a Giveaway!

Arugula Salad with Sundried Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Huh? Two dishes within hours of each other? What's going on here?

Today's event is being hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita's Cocina. They teamed up with their blogger friends to help raise awareness and support for Cancer and Hospice today in memory of Kim's dad. We encourage everyone to read the posts and share their own experiences with cancer. We also would like to encourage everyone to donate to the Canadian Cancer Society, the American Cancer Society and also to the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association. Hospice was a key element during Kim's father's battle with cancer. They made it possible for Kim to care for him at home. So please show your support and donate if you can. You can also contact your local Hospice and donate directly to them if you wish. A little goes a long way!

If you wish, call it a side dish for the beer can chicken I published earlier. Oh, and there's a giveaway too! Details are below.

If I can be candid for a moment. I struggled with this for a while conceptually, but I committed to participate because I admire Kim so much. I have been lucky because my family hasn't had anyone die of cancer within my lifetime, because an easy way to relate a dish to cancer is to profile one that a victim loved. I finally found direction when I did some research on my own. The American Cancer Society noted that everyone should eat healthy but the importance is amplified for cancer patients. It recommends a diet of plant based foods, especially foods of varying colors, so I thought this salad would be perfect.

The Source

Taken from page 203 of Fabio's Italian Kitchen by Fabio Viviani with Melanie Rehak.

Ingredients

3 cups baby arugula
1 cup sundried tomatoes, coarsely julienned
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced thin
10 leaves fresh basil
1/2 cantaloupe, flesh scooped with a melon baller
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Whisk together both vinegars with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and dress with the vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Important Information, Other Participating Bloggers and Giveaway Details

We are hosting a pinchatlive event on Saturday June 22 at 2 pm EST. The event will be live on G+ and also on Pinterest. You can join us by following along on G+ Hangouts on Air, and also by following the Pinterest Board #recipesfromtheheart. The winner of the KitchenAid Stand Mixer and Ice Cream Attachment will be announced live. There are bonus prizes up for grabs during the pinchatlive for those who participate in it. We're giving away 1 Vanilla Infused Box Set, 1 Lemon Infused Box Set and a $30 Amazon Gift Card. So make sure you join us for this event!

Before I get to the giveaway details, please check out the other participating bloggers in this special event:

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Home-made Strawberry Topping by Cravings of a Lunatic
Chili Verde by Juanita's Cocina
S'Mores Brownies in Jars by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Dark Chocolate and Orange Muffins by The Dutch Baker's Daughter
Boston Cream Pie by Pass The Sushi
My Fathers Day Recipe Round Up by Curry and Comfort
Tropical Smoothie by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Mini Gugelhupf by Masala Herb
Sauteed Strawberry and Sugarsnap Salad by Cook The Story
Cranberry Cashew Breakfast Muffins by In Fine Balance
Arugula Salad with Sundried Tomatoes and Mushrooms by Crazy Foodie Stunts
Spicy Beef Sliders by Katie's Cucina
Thai Red Curry Soup by Damn Delicious
Suman (Sweet Rice and Banana Leaves) by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Fresh Vegetable Salad by White Lights on Wednesday
Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Sundae by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Cinnamon Chip Cookie Butter Bars by The Messy Baker
Berry/Cherry Fro-Yo Ice Cream by Cookistry
Honey Beer Bread by Hungry Couple
Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Pancakes by The Spiffy Cookie
Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars by Sweet Remedy
Cookies and Cream Brownies by Cooking in Stilettos
Blueberry Lemon Cake by Roxana's Home Baking
Angel Cake by Ninja Baking
Knit (or crocheted) Grey Brain Cancer Mustache Pin by Knit, Purl, Damn!

Enter for your chance to Win an Artisan® Series KitchenAid®  Stand Mixer in the color of your choice (there are 26 to choose from) as well as an Ice Cream Maker Attachment. A sweet choice for all,  this creative attachment features the largest ice cream bowl capacity in the industry. Prepare 2 quarts of ice cream, sorbet, gelato or other frozen desserts. We're pleased to announce the giveaway is open to Canadian residents, as well as U.S. Residents. Winner will be chosen and announced during the pinchatlive event, described below. Winner will also be notified via email and has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond another winner will be chosen. 1 Stand Mixer and 1 Ice Cream Attachment are being given away as a group, not 1 per blog just to be clear for our readers. 

There are bonus prizes for the pinchatlive event. We are giving away 1 Vanilla Infused Gift Box Set, 1 Lemon Infused Gift Box Set and a $30 Amazon Gift Card.  In order to participate in this event follow the Pinterest Board #recipesfromtheheart. Hop on the Pinterest board on June 22 at 2 pm Est to follow along. We'll ask questions and those who comment are entered to win the bonus prizes. There will be a G+ Hangout on Air during the event as well. Winners of the pinchatlive event must be Canadian or U.S. residents.

Visit Facebook.com/KitchenAidCanada and click on the “More than a Mixer” tab to explore all 12 attachments available for the KitchenAid® Stand Mixer.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pasta Primavera: A Skinny #SundaySupper Dish

Pasta Primavera

For this week's #SundaySupper, the theme is light and healthy dishes (i.e. skinny) and it couldn't have come at a better time. After gorging on Super Bowl snacks and splurging on Valentine's Day sweets, it's time to get back to a healthy diet.

I must thank Renee of Magnolia Days for this dish. I planned on participating in last week's Valentine's Day event, but the maintenance staff at my apartment is working with my kitchen. I won't bore you with the details, but it's about 90% functional and wasn't sure I would be able to complete the dish on time.

As I was explaining to Renee that I would have to renege on my commitment for Valentine's Day, I promised I would look at future Sundays. She noted this week's theme but I was reluctant because healthy dishes, while I'm mindful, aren't a focus of this publication. (Want examples? Let's see, there's my homemade ricotta, deep frying my own potato chips, and baby back ribs just to name a few. That doesn't even cover the numerous pasta dishes I've published in the last year.) Well, Rene practically dared me to participate. After thinking about it, it occurred to me that making an indulgent dish healthier could be a separate challenge.

The Challenge

I know I publish a lot of pasta here, but have never set out with a goal of cutting calories, carbohydrates, and/or fat. For this reason, I thought this would be a great place to start.

The Source

Many pasta primavera dishes I reviewed used short pasta so I used a recipe I found on epicurious.com because it's different in that respect.

Ingredients

1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth chicken stock
16 sun-dried tomato halves (not packed in oil)
1 pound linguine
5 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
12 broccoli rabe florets
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Method

1. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, bring broth to simmer in small saucepan, then remove from heat. Add tomatoes and let stand until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, but reserve broth. Slice tomatoes thinly.

2. Add linguine to the large pot of salted water for a minute or two less than the box instructions dictate. While the pasta boils, heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add reserved broth, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli rabe florets and basil. Season with salt and pepper, then simmer until vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat.

3. Drain linguine and add to the vegetables, then toss to combine. Transfer to warmed bowls and garnish with the parmesan.

Successful?

I was a little surprised the dish was so flavorful, considering the lack of a sauce. Altogether, this was not only a lighter meal, but one that came together rather quickly.

On a side note, you might remember Carolina when I prepared a guest post for her this past fall. She recently wrote on her blog how Italians stay healthy, given that many of their dishes are heavy and have high in calories. If I could summarize her sentiments, she notes that portions are smaller and use natural ingredients.

Other Sunday Supper Participants

Please check out this week's other Sunday Supper participants:

Sizzling Skinny Appetizers & Soups

• Napa Cabbage wrapped Chinese Spring Rolls by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• #DairyFree Cream of Broccoli Soup by Galactosemia in PDX
• Easy Vegan Lentil Soup by NeighborFood
• Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup by Food Lust People Love
• Tomato Basil Soup by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Skinny Beef Chili by Webicurean

Healthy Skinny Mains & Sides

• Chicken with Herb Tomatoes and Pan Sauce by Hezzi D’s Books & Cooks
• Kale Salad with Pomegranates, Apples and Walnuts by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Skinny Salad Wraps by MamaMommyMom
• Mashed Cauliflower by Supper for a Steal
• Lamb Florentine Burger with Tzatziki by Country Girl in the Village
• Skinny Avocado Egg Salad Wraps by The Daily Dish Recipes
• Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad by Family Foodie
• Parchment-Poached Salmon by Simply Gourmet
• Maddy’s Arugula Salad by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cauliflower Pizza by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Light chicken enchiladas by My Cute Bride
• Pear Almond Arugula Salad with Honey Vinaigrette by Vintage Kitchen
• Pasta Primavera by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Cauliflower Fried Rice by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Ahi Tuna Salad by The Urban Mrs
• Soba Noodles with Edamame and Green Onions by Hip Foodie Mom
• Scallops Hong Kong Style by Magnolia Days
• Slow Cooker Pork and Green Chile Stew by Momma’s Meals
• Roasted Garlic, Chicken & Herb White Pizza by Dinners Dishes and Desserts
• Polynesian Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Herb Roasted Salmon with Steamed Cabbage & Peas by The Lovely Pantry
• Turkey and Black Bean Taco Burgers by In The Kitchen With K P
• Salmon Tikka Wraps with Cucumber Raita by Soni’s Food
• Whole wheat pasta with Spicy Roasted Cauliflower by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs by I Run For Wine
• Chipotle Black Bean Burgers with Baked Garlic Home Fries by Curious Cuisiniere
• The Ninja Baker’s Sake & Miso Salmon by Ninja Baking
• Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Black Bean Burgers with Parsnip Fries by Gourmet Drizzles
• Slow Cooker Chicken and Smoked Sausage Cassoulet by The Weekend Gourmet
• Cumin Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots by Mangoes and Chutney
• Italian Sub Salad by Diabetic Foodie
• Swiss Chard and Quinoa Croquettes by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Broccoli Patties with Arugula and Champagne Vinaigrette by Sustainable Dad
• Raw Kale Salad with Chickpeas and Salmon in Orange Dressing by Shockingly Delicious
• Greek Yogurt Egg Salad Sandwich by Damn Delicious
• Confetti Cabbage and Salmon Wraps by The Roxx Box
• Escarole and Beans by Midlife Roadtrip
• Cajun Black Beans by Ruffles and Truffles
• Caprese salad by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Skinny Wholegrain Fettuccine Alfredo with Greek Yogurt & Coconut Oil by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Guilt Free Skinny Desserts & Snacks

• Chocolate Avocado Cake by Gotta Get Baked
• Tiramisu Parfaits by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Sugar Free Banana Almond Muffins by What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Coconut Cinnamon Buns by Juanita’s Cocina
• Warm Apple Crumble by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Dark Chocolate-Dipped Apricots by girlichef
• Homemade Protein Bar Recipe by Masala Herb
• Skinny Chocolate Almond Pudding by Basic N Delicious

Wine Pairing Recommendations for Skinny Sunday Supper by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog