Ingredients:

• 1 bunch fresh asparagus
• 1 carrot, sliced into matchstick-like pieces
• 4 spring onions cut into 2-inch lengths
• handful of fresh shiitake (or other type) mushrooms.
• 1-2 cups fresh bean sprouts
• 1 red bell pepper
• Peeled Shrimp
• Persian lime or Orange infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil

STIR-FRY SAUCE:

• 3 Tbsp. Teriyaki sauce
• 1 Tbsp. each of Honey and Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp. fresh minced red chili (OR dried chili flakes, OR chili paste), smoked paprika, garlic & basil.

Preparation:

1. Rinse asparagus, then snap off the ends (these will snap off easily in just the right place, leaving only the tender stalks behind).
2. Prepare all other vegetables and place them in separate piles near the stove.
3. Make the sauce by stirring all sauce ingredients together in a cup. Stir well. Set the cup beside the stove.
4. Heat 2-3 Tbsp. oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the asparagus and stir-fry 1 minute.
5. Add some balsamic, plus the carrots, mushrooms & shrimp. Stir-fry another 1-2 minutes, or until mushrooms are cooked & shrimp is pink.
6. Add the spring onions and bell pepper. Stir-fry 1 more minute.
7. Finally, add the bean sprouts plus the sauce. Stir-fry to combine (30 seconds to 1 minute).Add more oil or balsamic.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup aged strawberry balsamic vinegar
• 3-4 large strawberries, stems removed and sliced (or quartered)
• 2 Tbsp ultra premium extra virgin olive oil or your favorite flavor infused olive oil
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots and 2-3 garlic cloves
• 3 cups (lightly packed) arugula or spinach leaves (large stems removed)
• 4 extra jumbo scallops
• 6-8 uncooked jumbo (or larger) shrimp, peeled & deveined
• Coarse sea salt & cracked pepper

Preparation:
In a bowl, stir together the vinegar and strawberries, cover, and chill for at least one hour. Remove from the fridge when you’re ready to start cooking.

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the shallots & garlic until softened, then add the greens and turn until well mixed. Cook just a minute or two until all the leaves have wilted but are still fully green. Remove greens to a strainer and keep warm (place in a dish in the oven on low warm temp.)

Let the shrimp sear for about 1 minute per side until just opaque. Remove and keep warm. Don’t move the scallops until you can see a brown edge forming around the bottom (about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.) Carefully lift one scallop — if the surface has a nice caramelized color, turn them over.

Cook for just another minute until the scallops are springy but not quite firm. Remove and keep warm.To serve, place the greens on a plate, top with the scallops, shrimp, and strawberries, then drizzle the balsamic reduction over the scallops and shrimp.

Makes 2-3 servings. ENJOY!!

Fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables are abundant now. Try a nice blackberry salad with a rich blue cheese, grape tomatoes, red onion, chicken and pecans: delicious!!!

Drizzle our aged balsamic vinegar Blackberry Ginger and the Persian Lime Olive Oil.

Cancer Prevention Anthocyanins, which give blackberries their dark color, are an antioxidant shown to reduce inflammation. As an antioxidant, they destroy free radicals in the body that harm cells and lead to cancer. Research has also shown that the ellagic acid in blackberries may have anti-cancer properties. One cup of blackberries contains half of the daily recommendation of the antioxidant vitamin C, which protects the immune system and may lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer.

Researchers have found that blackberries may reduce esophageal cancer by relieving the oxidative stress caused by Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition usually brought about by gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Perhaps the greatest benefit from eating blackberries is their high level of phenolic acids which, besides having many other potential health benefits, are antioxidant compounds known as powerful anti-carcinogenic agents. Because of these compounds, blackberries have been given an ORAC value (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of about 5350 per 100 grams, placing them near the top of ORAC fruits.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 large red tomatoes halved (will make enough for a small dinner party)
• 3 tablespoons Ultra Premium Extra Virgin olive oil (high Poly=Green, spicy & Grassy) Or your favorite flavor infused
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup pesto, store-bought or homemade
• 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese or Mascarpone

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Core the tomatoes and then slice them across (not through the stem) in 1/2 inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle the tomatoes with the ultra premium olive oil and sprinkle with the oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Bake the tomatoes for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven, spread each slice with pesto, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Return the tomatoes to the oven, lower heat to 350 and continue baking for 7 to 10 minutes, until the Parmesan or Mascarpone is melted and begins to brown. Using a flat metal spatula put the tomatoes on a serving platter, sprinkle with extra salt, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. I just could not wait for the REAL garden tomatoes to be here. You can use green tomatoes too. Try coring some of the tomato halves out and adding into the mixture mascarpone with fresh dill, garlic, chopped mushrooms and chopped scallions. Fill back into the halves and melt away. ENJOY!!!! 25 MIN.