Tag Archives: Capers

Five Must-Have Easter Brunch Recipes

Don’t know about you, but we’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like a good brunch. No matter the occasion, a well-planned brunch is always a special affair, and Easter Sunday Brunch is certainly no exception! In fact, it’s one of our favorite springtime traditions.

A good Easter Sunday Brunch does not have to be complicated. Here are some recipes from the Jeff’s Garden collection that are simple and easy to prepare. Many of these can be prepped in advance so you can relax with a mimosa and enjoy the company of friends and family.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper & Artichoke Quiche

A light and delicious “almost” homemade quiche (ready-made pie crusts are perfectly fine to use!) with Jeff’s Garden Marinated Artichoke Hearts and Jeff’s Garden Roasted Bell Pepper Strips with spinach and a delicious variety of cheeses. Click on the image to get the recipe.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper & Artichoke Quiche

Smoked Salmon and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Bruschetta

This easy bruschetta puts an elegant twist on a classic Italian appetizer and features a variety of savory flavors of roasted bell peppers, smoked salmon, chives and capers. Prep the ingredients in advance so you can quickly assemble the morning of your brunch. Click on the image to get the recipe.

Smoked Salmon and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Bruschetta
Smoked Salmon and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Bruschetta

Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad with Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes

This delightful salad can be prepped in advance and will add a wonderful pop of color and flavor to the brunch table! Broccoli and Jeff’s Garden Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes add a sweet and savory flavor. Click on the image to get the recipe.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad with Sundried Tomatoes-013HR

Baja Fruit Salad

Every good brunch menu needs fruit to compliment the main dishes! This light fruit salad with pineapple, mandarin oranges, jicama, shredded coconuts takes us on a tropical vacation. Jeff’s Garden Roasted Bell Pepper Strips and fresh cilantro add a unique flavor to balance the sweetness of the fruit. Click on the image to get the recipe.

Baja Fruit Salad
Baja Fruit Salad

Jeff’s Garden Bloody Mary

There’s nothing like a properly garnished Bloody Mary to enjoy on a Sunday morning brunch. The secret to our Bloody Mary recipe is assorted Jeff’s Garden Peppers and Olives for garnish and a splash of brine from the jar! Some of our favorite Bloody Mary garnishes include olives stuffed with Blue CheeseFeta Cheese, Garlic or Jalapeños. Whole Golden Greek Peperoncini is another delicious garnish. Click on the image to get the recipe.

Jeff’s Garden Bloody Mary
Jeff’s Garden Bloody Mary

Need More Easter Sunday Brunch Ideas & Inspiration?

Here are some helpful tips and serving ideas for easy Easter Sunday celebrations.

Everyone has their way of celebrating spring holiday traditions such as Easter and Passover, but when it comes to holiday gatherings, we can all agree that delicious food is a must. We hope the Jeff’s Garden line of premium olives, peppers, artichoke hearts, capers, and sun-ripened tomatoes will help simplify and elevate your springtime holiday entertaining!

 

Jeff’s Garden Products Can Now Be Purchased at LuckyVitamin.com

Lucky Vitamin

Everybody likes convenience, but when it comes to wellness and meal planning, we believe that convenience is essential. It’s one of the reasons Jeff’s Garden products can be purchased with a click of a button from some of the natural food industry’s top online retailers!

Most recently Lucky Vitamin, a family owned wholesome food and wellness site,  added products from the Jeff’s Garden all-natural line of olives, peppers, artichoke hearts, capers, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Founded in 2005, the family-owned business has a unique story on how it became an industry-leading global e-commerce destination for health and wellness, natural and organic products, vitamins, nutritional supplements, sports and fitness nutrition, food, beauty, skincare, pet and natural home.

Striving to bring good health to the masses, its mission is to be the inspirational and supportive source for products and knowledge dedicated to helping everyone on their journey towards happy wellness.  Jeff’s Garden products are a natural fit for the company since our products are have met the standards for a number of certifications including certified non-GMO, certified gluten-free and certified vegan (*excluding our cheese stuffed olives) and contain no preservatives, additives, sulfites, artificial colors or flavors.

Here’s a tip: Lucky Vitamin offers 15% off your first order to new customers and FREE SHIPPING on all orders Over $49. Visit our brand page and stock up on your favorites today!

Tuna Salad Sandwich

Fresh New Recipe From the Jeff’s Naturals Kitchen: Mediterranean Tuna Salad Sandwich

When was the last time you enjoyed a really good tuna salad sandwich? Like a really, incredible, gourmet tuna sandwich? Perhaps it is time to give this classic lunchbox staple an upgrade.

You will be amazed how delicious and satisfying a tuna sandwich can be! Simply adding wholesome flavorful ingredients like fresh veggies and Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers, Roasted Bell Pepper Strips and Organic Sliced Greek Kalamata Olives can take an otherwise ordinary sandwich to a whole new level.

Tuna Salad Sandwich

Jeff’s Mediterranian Tuna Salad Sandwich
Prep Time: 7 min.
Total Time: 10 min.
Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS
2 (8 inch) crusty rolls, sliced in half horizontally
2 cans (5 ounces each) tuna packed in olive oil1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers, drained
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1/3 English cucumber, thinly sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced thinly
4 Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Bell Pepper Strips
Cherry tomatoes, for garnish
Jeff’s Naturals Organic Sliced Greek Kalamata Olives, for garnish

PREPARATION
Remove some of the soft interior of the rolls to allow for the sandwich filling and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the tuna with its oil, red wine vinegar, capers and onion. Set aside.

To assemble the sandwiches, spread the tuna on the roll, top with sliced cucumber, egg and roasted red peppers. Serve with cherry tomatoes and olives.

Sprouts Cooking Club

Jeff’s Naturals is Proud to Support Sprouts Cooking Club for Youth!

Photo Source: www.sproutscookingclub.org

We believe everyone deserves to eat wholesome foods with real ingredients, no matter who you are and where you came from. When we learned about an organization that invites children from all backgrounds an opportunity to learn how to cook sustainable, healthy meals for themselves and their families, we knew we had to be a part of it.

Sprouts Cooking Club was launched in 2006 in an effort to teach children from all socio-economic levels the importance of wholesome eating. The program provides subsidized cooking classes and camp that pairs children with established chefs in their restaurants where they learn how to cook with real and nutritious ingredients they may not have known otherwise.

The organization also hosts a Chef-in-Training Program for at-risk young adults who need a chance to turn their lives around by learning new skills.

Jeff’s Naturals helped to sponsor the program back in 2016 and we’re happy to help out once again by donating Roasted Bell Pepper Strips, Imported Non-Pareil Capers our new Sunshine Mix Mild Banana Pepper Rings from our all-natural line. It’s our sincere pleasure to provide these kids access to ingredients that are certified non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan and contain no preservatives, additives, sulfites, artificial colors or flavors.

To learn more about this program or see how you can help, please visit www.sproutscookingclub.org.

Build-Your-Own Grilled Pizza is Perfect for Fall Entertaining

Summer may be over, but that in no way means that it’s time to store the grill away for the season! In fact the crisper, cooler air make fall the perfect time for outdoor entertaining. Whether you’re looking for a delicious weeknight dinner or fun way to feed a house full of guests, a “Build-Your-Own” Grilled Pizza night is always a hit.

Homemade grilled pizza is less expensive and more flavorful than take-out and a fun way to get creative with friends and family. We always have a blast at our “Grilled Pizza Parties” in the Jeff’s Naturals kitchen.

So forget delivery. In less time, you can grill up even better pizza! Here’s how.

Step 1- Prep the Pizza Crust
There are plenty of resources to help you make your own pizza dough or you can pick up some pre-made pizza dough at your local supermarket in the bakery, dairy or in the frozen foods section. You can also check with your local pizzeria to see if they sell homemade pizza dough, just make sure you get enough to feed everyone! Roll out your dough into personal sized pizzas and grill on each side for 1.5 minutes.

Step 2- Provide a Variety of Sauces
For the pizza purists, make sure you offer plenty of traditional tomato based pizza sauce (homemade or store-bought). For variety, we recommend offering some fun alternatives like pesto (jarred or homemade), garlic/herb infused oils, ricotta cheese, salsa, wing sauce, BBQ sauce, or tapenade. The sky’s the limit so get creative!

Step 3- Add Pizza Toppings & Grill!
Family & friends will have fun building their own pizzas with a well rounded variety of toppings. Here are some suggestions on how to turn a plain pizza into a gourmet experience:

Plenty of cheese please! Honestly, it’s just not pizza without the cheese! Set out a variety of cheeses to choose from like mozzarella (shredded or fresh), shredded cheddar, sliced provolone,  grated Parmesan, Romano, crumbed feta, blue cheese, goat cheese, vegan cheese…you get the idea.

Pass the protein! You can’t go wrong with choices like grilled chicken or tofu, pepperoni and diced gourmet sausage.

Add a healthy variety of veggies. Veggies like sliced onions, peppers, olives, julienned basil and other herbs are delicious additions to round out the flavor of your grilled pizza. Our line of olives & peppers offer plenty of fun pizza toppings. Here are a few that will rock your socks:
Roasted Bell Pepper Strips
Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini
✓ Diced Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes
Sliced Tamed™ Jalapeños
✓ Diced Garlic Stuffed Olives
✓ Finely chopped Jalapeño Stuffed Olives
Organic Sliced Greek Kalamata Olives
✓ Diced Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Imported Non-Pareil Capers

Once toppings are added, place your pizza back on the grill for a few moments to heat up the toppings and melt the cheese. Enjoy!

Here are some fun & delicious examples of homemade grilled pizza made right in the Jeff’s Naturals kitchen!

Grilled pizza topped with Sliced Tamed™ Jalapeños, Roasted Bell Pepper Strips and mozzarella cheese.
Grilled pizza topped with Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini, light cheese and thinly sliced red onions.
Grilled pizza topped with Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini, pepperoni, light cheese and thinly sliced red onions.

 

Grilled pizza topped with sliced cherry tomatoes, Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini and Diced Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes.
Grilled pizza topped with sliced cherry tomatoes, Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini and Diced Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes.
Prosciutto Pear Sandwich

Jeff’s Perfect Prosciutto Pear Sammie

Fresh from the Jeff’s Naturals Kitchen….

The Jeff’s Naturals chefs have been hard at working creating fresh innovative dishes you can easily bring your table!  During the summer season, simple gourmet sandwiches rule! If you are looking for the perfect sandwich, our new Prosciutto Pear Sandwich fits the bill!

The combination of roasted bell peppers, salty capers, Gorgonzola cheese, prosciutto and fresh sliced pear will take you on a flavor adventure! It’s the perfect summer sandwich.

Make it in advance and enjoy on a summer picnic or lunch on-the-go. You can even pair it with a green salad and fruit for a simple summer supper! The possibilities are endless. Enjoy!

Jeff’s Prosciutto Pear Sandwich
Prep Time: 15 min.Total Time: 20 min.Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
4 Tbsp. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. Jeff’s Naturals Non-Pareil Capers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
2 Tbsp. dry toasted pine nuts (pignolias)
1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
6 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 Italian ciabatta loaf, cut into 4 pieces
8 oz. prosciutto (plain, not smoked)
1 ripe Bartlett or Anjou pear, sliced into thin wedges
8 oz. Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Bell Peppers
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped
A few sprigs fresh basil, main stems trimmed off
Sea salt, to taste*

PREPARATION

Pre-heat the oven to broil.

In a small bowl, combine the Gorgonzola cheese, crushed garlic, non-pareil capers, pine nuts, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil. Mix well, and set aside.
Spread one side of each sandwich roll with 2 tablespoonfuls of the Gorgonzola cheese mixture.

Next, layer each sandwich with 2 oz. prosciutto, 3 slices of pear, and some roasted red bell pepper strips.

Top each sandwich with several spinach leaves plus a few basil leaves. Drizzle the greens with a dash each, olive oil, sea salt, and additional black pepper, if desired.

Fold the sandwiches closed, and broil, on the center rack, for about 5 minutes, or until bread is just toasted. Enjoy!

Ghostly Pizza Jeff's Naturals

Jeepers Capers! Is that a Ghost on My Pizza?

Yes, it’s that time of the year again! Time for some Halloween Fun! Halloween now-a-days is so much more than costumes and candy. Families everywhere are taking Halloween decorating to new heights around the house and in the kitchen. A simple search on sites like Pinterest will yield hundreds of clever Halloween themed dishes adults and kids can enjoy that range from adorable just to plain disturbing!

Here are a few fun ideas you can put into use with our Capers, Peppers, Olives and Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes. Enjoy!

ghostly-pizza

Ghostly Pizza

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
1 store-bought, prepared pizza crust
1 jar store-bought pizza sauce
5 slices mozzarella cheese
10 Jeff’s Naturals Non-Pareil Capers

PREPARATION
Preheat oven per pizza crust instructions.
Spread an even layer of pizza sauce on top of the pizza crust. Next, using Halloween-shaped cookie cutters, cut out ghost cheese shapes from the mozzarella. Place cheese on top of the pizza sauce. Adorn the ghosts with capers for eyes. Bake until hot and bubbly and serve.

More Fun Ideas

Spider Bagel Pizza Bites 
These kid-friendly bites add a little extra fun to your next Halloween party. Click here for recipe and instructions.

spider-pizza-bites
Photo Courtesy of www.allyou.com

Bacon, Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Goat Cheese Skull Shaped Pizza
Great way to transform a plain pizza into special Halloween treat the whole family will enjoy in no time. Click here to view the post for full recipe.

halloween-skull-shaped-pizza-halloween-edible-crafts-halloween-party-food-halloween-appetizer-halloween-dinner
Photo courtesy of www.hungryhappenings.com

Sundried Tomato Spider Web Pesto Dip
This dip isn’t just fun, it is absolutely delicious! We think our Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes would work perfectly in this dish! Click here to get the recipe!

sundried-tomato-spider-web-pesto-dip
Photo courtesy of www.rotisseriechickenqueen.com

Roasted Pumpkin Soup With Red Peppers and Caramelized Onions
We saw this recipe for this savory autumn soup and immediately thought this would be a wonderful way to enjoy our Roasted Bell Peppers & Caramelized Onions. As an added bonus, it would help save some preparation time so you can spend more time “Trick or Treating”. Click here for the full recipe.

roasted-pumpkin-soup-with-red-peppers-and-caramelized-onions-13-wm-eng
Photo courtesy of www.thethingswellmake.com
SproutsCookingClub

Kids Can Cook With Capers Too!

Jeff’s Naturals is a firm believer in healthy eating and cooking choices for all ages. When we heard about the fantastic work being done by Sprouts Cooking Club, we knew we had to help out any way we could.

This summer, Jeff’s Naturals became one of the sponsors of this program by introducing the magic of cooking with capers to kids! These flavorful nuggets of deliciousness often go unnoticed, yet they add so much to just about any dish whether it’s fish or poultry, appetizers, main courses, and more.

Sprouts Cooking Club was launched in 2006 in an effort to teach children of all backgrounds and socio-economics levels the importance of healthy eating. The program pairs children with established chefs in their restaurants where they learn how to cook with real and nutritious ingredients they may not have known otherwise.

Capers

We source our capers from Turkey where they are picked by hand as soon as they reach the desired size, then dried in the hot Mediterranean sun before they are pickled in a brine of vinegar. Not only does their piquant, slightly tangy flavor makes them an excellent addition to Mediterranean dishes like authentic scaloppini and picatta recipes, they are naturally low in carbs, contain no fat and are versatile enough to go with just about any meal any time of the day- breakfast, lunch or dinner.

If those of you reading are curious of some of our tips and tricks for cooking with capers, look no further because here are some of our favs:

 

Vegetarian Recipes

Two Vegetarian Recipes You Will Actually Want to Make

Summer is coming and that means our selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables are even better! We all know there is overwhelming evidence that people who follow a diet high in fruits and vegetables tend to enjoy benefits such as lower blood pressure, lower risk of death, lower chance of life threatening disease (i.e. cancer, heart disease, diabetes), and a much lower risk of obesity.

The more simple and delicious meat-free recipes you can learn the better off your diet will be in the long run.

Here are two recipes that you will actually enjoy vegging out on:

Zucchini Ribbons with Kalamata Olives & Sundried Tomatoes

unnamed
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup fresh ricotta
1 fresh lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced on mandolin
2 shallots, thinly sliced on mandolin
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flake
5 medium zucchini, thinly sliced on mandolin
½ cup julienned Jeff’s Naturals Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes, drained with some oil reserved.
½ cup Jeff’s Naturals Organic Pitted Whole Greek Kalamata Olives, drained and rough chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION
In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta with the lemon juice and zest and set aside.

In a large skillet on medium high heat, add the olive oil and heat until hot. Add the garlic, shallots and chili flake and cook 5-7 minutes or until onions and garlic are softened.

Add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and toss frequently for about 5 minutes until zucchini is tender. Turn heat off and add the ricotta, sundried tomatoes and kalamata olives. Toss to mix.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a little sundried tomato oil drizzled over the top.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini, Capers & Peppers

unnamed
1 large cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers, drained
½ cup diced Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Bell Pepper Strips, drained
Tahini sauce
½ cup tahini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
½ cup water
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 500ºF

Toss cauliflower with olive oil. Season with S & P, toss again. Roast at 500ºF for about 15 minutes or until slightly charred and tender. Check the cauliflower frequently and stir on the sheet tray to get even roasting.

Remove cauliflower from oven, and place in a mixing bowl. Toss with capers, red peppers and add enough tahini sauce to thoroughly coat the cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Great served hot or room temperature.

Capers

The Secret to Amazing Mediterranean Cuisine? Capers.

There is nothing like the distinctive flavor of capers to liven up your favorite Mediterranean dishes. “Capers are commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine and they pair beautifully with things like salad, fish and pasta,” says foodie Daniel Delaney in his video series, What’s This Food?!.

It’s no wonder capers are a favorite among foodies! Not only does their piquant, slightly tangy flavor makes them an excellent addition to Mediterranean dishes like authentic scaloppini and picatta recipes, they are naturally low in carbs, contain no fat and are versatile enough to go with just about any meal any time of the day- breakfast, lunch or dinner.

One of our favorite secrets to amazing Mediterranean dishes is Caper Butter.  This video clip dishes out some fun facts about capers along with a knock out Caper Butter recipe (grab a pen and paper, you’ll want to remember this).

FACT: Capers are the unripened flower buds of a perennial bush native to the Mediterranean. Caper bushes can be spotted growing wild in rocky crags and on coastal cliffs. Capers are picked by hand each morning as soon as they reach the desired size, then dried in the hot Mediterranean sun. While they are sometimes found packed in sea salt, most capers are pickled in a brine of vinegar or wine. Pickled capers can be used straight from the jar.

FACT: Capers range in size from that of a small peppercorn, such as the prized non-pareil variety from Southern France, to the size of a small pea.

FACT: In her book, From Julia Child’s Kitchen, Child suggests replacing half of the brine in a jar of capers with vermouth to improve their flavor.

Here are some more tips on how to enjoy them:

 

photo credit: New Jar of Capers 02.18.09 [49] via photopin (license)

National Pasta Month

Celebrate National Pasta Month

Did you know that October is National Pasta Month?  Since Jeff’s Naturals Mediterranean products and pasta go together like spaghetti and meatballs, we thought it would be fun to honor this beloved traditional Italian cuisine by sharing some fun facts about pasta along with some of our favorite recipes.

Pasta Month
Source: National Pasta Association 

  • The first industrial pasta factory in America was built in Brooklyn in 1848 by a Frenchman, who spread his spaghetti strands on the roof to dry in the sunshine.
  • Pasta can be traced as far back as the fourth century B.C., where an Etruscan tomb showed a group of natives making what appears to be pasta.
  • There are more than 600 pasta shapes produced worldwide.
  • To cook one billion pounds of pasta, you would need 2,021,452,000 gallons of water – enough to fill nearly 75,000 Olympic-size swimming pools.
  • It was not until the 1700’s until tomato sauce was included with spaghetti in Italian kitchens.
  • The Chinese were making a noodle-like food as early as 3000 B.C. Legend has it that Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy following his exploration of the Far East in the late 13th century.
  • The most popular pasta shapes in the U.S. are Spaghetti, thin spaghetti, Elbows, Rotelle, Penne, Lasagna
  • Thomas Jefferson is credited with bringing the first “macaroni” machine to America in 1789 when he returned home after serving as ambassador to France.
  • The average person in Italy eats more than 51 pounds of pasta every year. The average person in North America eats about 15-1/2 pounds of pasta per year.

Pasta Recipes

Mediterranian-Salad-1

Ingredients
1- 16 oz. package of dried rotelle pasta
8 oz. Jeff’s Naturals sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini, drained & chopped
8 oz. Jeff’s Naturals Organic Sliced Greek Kalamata Olives, drained
8 oz. Jeff’s Naturals Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes, not drained
8 oz. Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Bell Pepper Strips, chopped
2 Jars (4 oz) marinated Artichoke Hearts, drained, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper

Preparation
Boil Pasta according to the directions on the package. Rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly. Add pasta to a medium sized bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Blend together. The pasta salad may be served immediately or stored covered in the refrigerator for the following day. Enjoy!pic_Pasta-Nicoise
A refreshing dish made with Jeff’s Naturals™ Pitted Greek Kalamata Olives, Jeff’s Naturals™ Imported Non-Pareil Capers, tuna and rotini (corkscrew pasta). Click Here for the Recipe

Rigatoni_with_Puttanesca_Sauce_cropped
Capers and red wine bring out the natural flavors of tomatoes and artichoke hearts and herbs in this classic Mediterranean recipe. Click Here For the Recipe 
Roasted Lemon Cauliflower Pasta
A refreshing dish created by food blogger, Vegetarian Mama. This recipe combines gluten free pasta, cauliflower, lemon, Parmesan cheese and Jeff’s Naturals™ Imported Non-Pareil CapersClick Here for the Recipe.

 

Bagel and Capers

Jeff’s Naturals Makes Breakfast Even Better

This recent headline certainly caught our attention: More Than Half of Americans Skip Breakfast at Least Once a Week, Study Says

How can this be? Doesn’t everybody know that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day? Hasn’t everybody heard the old saying “Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince and Dine like a Pauper”?

There are countless reasons to take a few minutes in the morning to enjoy a healthy breakfast, but overall health and wellness tops the list. This recent Consumer Reports article states “Breakfast eaters tend to have better diets overall, consuming more fruit, vegetables, milk, and whole grains than non-breakfast eaters.”

Therefore, in celebration of National Breakfast Month, let us please remind our readers to eat a healthy breakfast. Not only will you feel better, you’ll be more productive and your body will thank you. Here are some ideas we found to make your first meal of the best.

Jeff's Naturals for Breakfast

Omelets & Eggs
For an out of this world scramble, add diced Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes or Roasted Bell Pepper Strips and grated Parmesan cheese to your morning eggs.

Try giving your morning omelet a Mediterranean flavor by adding a few of these ingredients:

Quiches & Fritatas
Add about 4 oz of diced Jeff’s Naturals Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes to liven up your favorite quiche recipe.

Add Jeff’s Naturals™ Roasted Bell Pepper Strips in your quiche, fritatta, or scrambled eggs

Bloody Marys
Use Jeff’s Naturals™ Jalapeño Stuffed OlivesPeperoncini or Spicy Italian Olive Antipasto to spice up your favorite Bloody Mary (on the weekends of course)!

Bagels
Bagels with lox and cream cheese are event better topped with sliced onions Capers & Roasted Bell Pepper Strips.

Bagel and Capers

JN
smoked_salmon_caper_crepe_web

INGREDIENTS
Crêpe Batter:
1 c. flour
2 eggs
6 Tbsp. melted butter (plus more for coating pan)
1 ½ c. whole milk

Filling:
½ c. ricotta cheese
¾ c. whipped cream cheese1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
8 oz. smoked salmon
4 oz. Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers
½ sm. Red onion, thinly sliced

Directions:
Add all crepe ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. In a large non-stick sauté pan on medium-high heat, add just enough butter to coat the pan. Slowly pour in crepe batter while holding pan off the heat and swirling the crepe batter in a circular motion to get a thin layer of batter on the bottom of the sauté pan. Cook for about 1 ½ minutes or until loosened from the bottom of the pan and lightly browned. Flip the crepe and cook another minute until lightly browned. Remove from pan and place on plate and continue process until batter is gone.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest, and dill. Season with cracked pepper.

To assemble the crepes, spread a small amount of the cheese and dill mixture over one half of the crepe. Add a thin layer of smoked salmon on top of half of the cheese, generously sprinkle with capers, add thinly sliced onion and fold crepe into quarters and serve.

Capture
breakfast_sandwich_web
INGREDIENTS
4 slices pancetta
2 eggs, cooked over easy
2 tablespoons Pesto
½ cup Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Red Peppers, drained and patted dry
2/3 cup arugula

PREPARATION
Preheat panini press.
Place pancetta slices in panini press and cook about 3 minutes or until crispy. Remove from press and set aside.
To assemble the paninis, add a tablespoon of pesto on the top inside slice of each sandwich. Add the eggs to the bottom slice of bread. Top the egg with arugula, pancetta, and a layer of roasted red pepper. Top the sandwich with the pesto bread slice and place into the panini press for about 5 minutes or until slightly crispy and golden.

Capture

breakfast_burrito

INGREDIENTS
6 eggs
1/4 c. milk
2 c. frozen Potatoes O’Brien hash browns
Oil to coat pan for frying
6 oz. raw breakfast sausage
½ c. Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Red Peppers, chopped
½ c. shredded cheese
1 avocado
Jeff’s Naturals Diced Tamed™ Jalapeño Peppers to top
4-6 tortillas
Optional: Sour cream, salsa and sliced green onion to top

PREPARATION
Crack eggs into a mixing bowl add milk, a pinch of salt and fresh cracked black pepper and whisk.

In a large sauté pan on medium high heat, add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add hash browns and fry for about 5 minutes until slightly golden in color. Add breakfast sausage into the pan, break up with a wooden spoon and cook another 7 minutes or until sausage is done. Add egg mixture and chopped roasted red peppers and stir occasionally, lower heat to medium while cooking the eggs for about 6 minutes or until eggs are done. Turn heat off, sprinkle cheese on top to melt.

Assemble the burritos with the egg and hash brown mixture, top with your desired toppings and add the jalapeño peppers for some heat and crunch.

Capture

Zucchini and Olive Breakfast Cake, French-Style on the kitchn

Frittata with Avocado, Roasted Peppers, Olives and Feta

photo credit: feministjulie via photopin cc

Fresh New Recipes Featuring Jeff’s Naturals Capers

Capers

Our featured recipes this month showcase what we believe to be the unsung heroes of the culinary world, Non-Pareil Capers. These flavorful nuggets of deliciousness often go unnoticed, yet they add so much to just about any dish whether it’s fish or poultry, appetizers, main courses, and more!

We source our capers from Turkey where they are picked by hand as soon as they reach the desired size, then dried in the hot Mediterranean sun before they are pickled in a brine of vinegar. Here are three fresh ideas for you to enjoy:

Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-PareilCapers

#1 Smoked Salmon & Caper Crepes

The salty, slightly briny flavor our our Capers pairs perfectly with smoked salmon and dill. This gourmet dish is simple to create for brunch or dinner.

smoked_salmon_caper_crepe_webINGREDIENTS
Crepe Batter:
1 c. flour
2 eggs
6 Tbsp. melted butter (plus more for coating pan)
1 ½ c. whole milk
½ c. ricotta
¾ c. whipped cream cheese1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
8 oz. smoked salmon
4 oz. Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers
½ sm. Red onion, thinly sliced

PREPARATION
Add all crepe ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. In a large non-stick sauté pan on medium-high heat, add just enough butter to coat the pan. Slowly pour in crepe batter while holding pan off the heat and swirling the crepe batter in a circular motion to get a thin layer of batter on the bottom of the sauté pan. Cook for about 1 ½ minutes or until loosened from the bottom of the pan and lightly browned. Flip the crepe and cook another minute until lightly browned. Remove from pan and place on plate and continue process until batter is gone.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest, and dill. Season with cracked pepper.

To assemble the crepes, spread a small amount of the cheese and dill mixture over one half of the crepe. Add a thin layer of smoked salmon on top of half of the cheese, generously sprinkle with capers, add thinly sliced onion and fold crepe into quarters and serve.

#2 Baked Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Capers, and Mozzarella

Combine Jeff’s Naturals capers and sundried tomatoes with chicken and mozzarella for 25 minutes for a quick weeknight meal the whole family will love.

baked_chicken_with_sundried_tomatoes_and_artichoke_riceINGREDIENTS
2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1/4 c. Jeff’s Naturals Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes, julienned
1/2 Tbsp. Crushed Garlic
1/4 c. Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, grated
1 c. bread crumbs, seasoned

PREPERATION
Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound them with a bottom of a skillet until thin. Layer the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and capers along the center of the breasts and top with the mozzarella. Fold one side of the breast over the filling and roll into a long tube, secure with a toothpick.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and coat with the bread crumbs and bake in an oven-proof dish for 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F; cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Allow the chicken to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing or cutting in half.

#3 Rigatoni with Savory Puttanesca Sauce

Capers and red wine bring out the natural flavors of tomatoes and artichoke hearts and herbs in this classic Mediterranean recipe.
Rigatoni_with_Puttanesca_Sauce_croppedINGREDIENTS
12 oz. rigatoni, uncooked
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. crushed garlic
1 Tbsp. oregano
2 jars (6.5 oz. each) Artichoke Hearts, drained
1 tsp. anchovy paste
2 c. (28 oz. can) tomatoes
2 Tbsp. Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-PareilCapers
1/2 c. dry red wine
1/2 c. Jeff’s Naturals Organic Sliced Greek Kalamata Olives
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. parsley, chopped (optional)

PREPARATION
Cook rigatoni in boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender. Add oregano and artichoke hearts and anchovy paste, stir for one minute. Add tomatoes, capers and red wine and stir to break up the tomatoes into large pieces. Bring to boil, and then reduce heat to simmer.

Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Add olives and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes more.

Can’t get enough caper recipes? Pin or print out some of these!

photo credit: bagel and lox with capers : castro, san francisco (2014) via photopin (license)

11 Ways to Enjoy Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers

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There is nothing like the distinctive flavor of Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers to liven up your favorite Mediterranean dishes.

Capers, a favorite among foodies, are naturally low in carbs, contain no fat and are versatile enough to go with just about any dish whether it’s fish or poultry, appetizers, main courses, and more! Their distinctive salty, slightly briny flavor makes them a staple for Mediterranean dishes like authentic scaloppini and picatta recipes.

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So what are these mysterious tiny nuggets of goodness? Capers are the unripened flower buds of a perennial bush native to the Mediterranean. We source our capers from Turkey where wild caper bushes can be spotted growing wild in rocky crags and on coastal cliffs. Capers are picked by hand as soon as they reach the desired size, then dried in the hot Mediterranean sun before they are pickled in a brine of vinegar.

People commonly ask us, what does “Non-Pareil” mean? Great question! “Non-Pareil”, pronounced [non-puh-rel], is indicative of the size of a caper- usually about the size of a peppercorn. The word is translated from French and means “having no equal; peerless”. It means, they are unsurpassed, the most desired- the best! So, now you know!

Here are 11 ways to enjoy them:

1. In a food processor, mix Jeff’s Naturals Sun-ripened Dried Tomatoes with pitted Kalamata Olives, Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers, garlic, anchovy filets, lemon juice and olive oil for a terrific tapenade. Spread it on fish or chicken before baking or serve it as a spread with crackers or crusty bread.

2. Combine Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers in a hot pan with butter, lemon juice, and white wine for a classic Chicken Picatta.

3. Use Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers as a flavorful garnish for bagels with lox and cream cheese.

4. Mix Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers into mayonnaise along with lemon juice and chopped chives for a sophisticated twist on a classic tartar sauce.

5. Add Artichoke Hearts to a simple piccata sauce of butter, lemon juice, Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers, and white wine and serve over pan-seared chicken or fish.

6. Roughly chop Organic Kalamata Olives and toss with Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers and olive oil. Spoon mixture over a block goat cheese and serve with pita chips.

7. Add Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers to sautéed onions and garlic. Dice tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, and anchovy filets. Mix together with basil and crushed red pepper flakes for an alluring Puttanesca pasta sauce.

8. Dress up your favorite pasta or potato salad recipe with a few spoonfuls of Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers.

9. Top a pizza with thinly sliced fresh tomatoes, minced garlic, fresh oregano and a sprinkling of Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers.

10. Add a couple spoonfuls of Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers to a Salade Niçoise with seared tuna, anchovies, hard-boiled egg, sliced potatoes, green beans, and olives in a Dijon vinaigrette.

11. For a tangy vegetarian version of a classic Caesar salad, use Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers in place of the traditional anchovies.

photo credit: feministjulie via photopin cc

photo credit: stijn via photopin cc

Find Your Favorite Jeff’s Naturals Products & More on Vitacost.com!

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Photo Credit (bottom 2): Vegetarianmamma.com

Since we are all about living healthy lifestyles without sacrifice, we’re going to let you in on a little secret:

Wholesome living doesn’t have to be costly or inconvenient.

It’s true!  Having trouble finding your favorite natural foods products in your area code? No problem.  You don’t have to travel miles and miles out of your way just to find a specific brand or product.  Look for your favorite natural brands, like Jeff’s Naturals, on Vitacost.com!

Vitacost.com is a leading online retailer of healthy living products, including dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals, herbs and other botanicals, amino acids and metabolites, as well as cosmetics, organic body and personal care products, pet products, sports nutrition and health foods.

With more than 40,000 health and wellness essentials from top brands, chances are you will find just what you are looking for and then some! For instance, you can find many of your favorite Jeff’s Naturals products including our Peperoncini, Sliced tamed Jalapenos, Stuffed Olives, Castelvetrano Olives, Peppers, Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes,  Organic Kalamata Olives and Capers!

Here’s the kicker: you won’t spend more when you shop on Vitacost.com, in fact, you just might save money…..AND they deliver them to your door. We aren’t saying not to support your local natural foods retailer (local businesses = better communities), but if this is not an option for you due to distance or lack of time, Vitacost is a great alternative.

The company is celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year and was recently awarded the 2014 Silver Stevie Award for Innovation in Customer Service. Vitacost.com, Inc. strives to offer its customers the broadest selection of healthy living products, while providing superior customer service and timely and accurate delivery.

We love the Vitacost Recipe Center, a great resource for people “on the go” who do not wish to sacrifice the wholesome and clean food they deserve.  Next time you are in a pinch for time or having trouble finding what you are looking for, we encourage you to visit their site and give them a try!