White House Chef Shares Recipes on Today Show
White House executive chef Cris Comerford stopped by NBC's The Today Show to share a few stories, as well as some healthy recipes. After preparing State Dinners and big luncheons, Cris was given one of her most challenging assignments yet: cooking healthy food for 5th graders, and making sure they liked it.
The recipes she shares are easy and quick, but best of all – they’re also healthy. Check out the video and then try out the recipe below!
Chopped Green Salad with Herb Dressing
Ingredients
For salad:
- 4 cups torn spinach and/or romaine
- 1 small cucumber, seeded, if desired
- 3 oz. broccoli florets, blanched and shocked*( 1 cup)
- 3 oz. tender fresh green beans, blanched and shocked*( 1 1/2 cups)
- 3/4 cup frozen edamame, thawed
- 1 1/2 cups halved green grapes
- 1 recipe Fresh Herb Dressing
- Lemon wedges
For dressing:
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. snipped fresh Italian parsley, basil, or thyme
- 2 tsp. yellow mustard
- 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
Preparation
For dressing:
In a screw-top jar combine orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, herb, mustard and pepper. Cover and shake well. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Stir or shake well before using.
Raspberry vinaigrette: Prepare as above, except substitute raspberry vinegar, and add 1/4 cup mashed fresh raspberries.
For salad:
On a large cutting board, cut lettuce and cucumber into bite-size pieces. Add to a large salad bowl. Add broccoli, beans, edamame, and grapes. Toss gently to mix. Drizzle about 1/3 recipe fresh herb dressing over vegetables. Toss gently to coat mixture with dressing.
Serve in small tumblers or cups with lemon wedges, if desired. Pass remaining dressing, if desired.
Teaching Notes: Before chopping lettuce, wash lettuce and remove excess water from leaves by patting dry with paper towels. Salad dressing clings better to dry lettuce.
Tips:
Shocking vegetables: Bring a saucepan half filled with water to a boil. Carefully add vegetables and cook 3 minutes (do not wait for water to return to boil to start timing). Drain in colander and immediately add to a bowl of ice water to halt cooking. Drain well before using.
Before chopping lettuce, wash lettuce and remove excess water from leaves by patting dry with paper towels. Salad dressing clings better to dry lettuce.
Serving Size
Makes 6 servings
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