Palm Leaf Dinnerware For The Party!

Recently I was sent a set of some Palm Leaf Dinnerware from Marx Foods. I was having an outdoor dinner party and I thought these plates were perfect for such an occasion.. They are made out of naturally discarded sheaths of the leaves of the Adaka palm tree and are collected from the forest floor. No trees are harmed in the making of this natural and biodegradable dinnerware. They are an eco-friendly alternative to conventional disposable plates and green all the way.

For my dinner party, I served my Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates on a leaf lined plate.
It was one of three appetizers.

After our salad, I served a Cedar Planked Lemon Salmon and paired it with Gnocchi and Browned Butter. I barbequed the salmon on cedar planks with pickled Meyer lemon slices on top, a little salt and pepper, and it was cooked to perfection.
Plated on, of course, a Palm Leaf Plate.

And our main course was Beef Tenderloin with Balsamic Reduction Cream served with a Wild Mushroom Saute. I used some Dried Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Dried Lobster Mushrooms, and Dried Maitake mushrooms that I also got from Marx Foods, along with some fresh Baby Portabellas.

It was a wonderful dinner complemented by these wonderful disposal plates.
Because let's face it, after an evening of delicious food and robust wine,
who wants to do dishes???

Certainly not me!


Thank you Marx Foods!

Grilled Salmon With Pineapple-Banana Salsa

Last week my girlfriend and I went to lunch together. We decided to check out the menu before we went as she is a very picky eater. On the website, there was a section labeled "Recipes". Well, as you can guess, that was my first click. As soon as I found this recipe, I hit the print button. And I wasted no time when I got home to make it. It was Paradise on a plate!

A few simple ingredients and a trip to the fish market, this dish was a perfect weekday meal. It's fresh and fast, and best of all, HEALTHY! Three months into the new year, and I'm still doing healthy! I'm pretty proud that I'm still on the health wagon. Well, If you don't count the muffins I made last night. But I gave some away! That's like cutting the calories in half, right? RIGHT???

Grilled Salmon With Pineapple-Banana Salsa

Ingredients:

6 (6-8 oz each) Salmon Fillets

Kosher salt and pepper

1 Cup pineapple, fresh, diced

1 Cup Banana, diced

1/4 Cup red onion

1/4 Cup red bell pepper

3 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Preparation:

mix all salsa ingredients together and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes before putting fillets on the grill. Make sure the grill is very hot. Spray the salmon with a cooking spray and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the fillets for 2-3 minutes per side. Top with salsa.