Organic Recipes from Men's Health Magazine

Going green has never tasted so good and been so easy! “Nothing turns average cooks into great ones quicker than fresh ingredients,” New York Chef Tom Colicchio says in the July/August Issue of Men’s Health magazine.

When looking for some fresh ways to prepare your everyday meals, Men’s Health magazine has the following tips:

· Master The Market- Shopping at local farmer’s markets as opposed to supermarkets. Find one near you at (www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets)
· Make Friends- Building relationships with local butchers or fishmongers, can score you his best stuff.
· Stock Your Pantry- Keep extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and fresh herbs in your kitchen at all times

Below are a few recipes with that add a fresh spin on healthy soon to become favorite dishes.


Roasted Leg of Lamb with Herbs
Ingredients: 5lb boneless leg of lamb
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh sage
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp peanut oil or canola oil
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Course sea salt
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lay the lamb flat (cute side up) on a clean surface and sprinkle it with kosher salt and pepper. Arrange half the herbs and all the garlic on the meat. Roll the meat tightly and tie it with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals
2. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet on medium. Season the lamb roll with kosher salt and pepper; add it to the skillet to the oven.
3. Roast the lamb in the oven for about 45 minutes. Add the butter and the remaining herbs to the skillet and continue roasting, basting occasionally, for about 15 minutes. (The lamb is medium rare when a thermometer inserted in the center of the roll read 125 degrees F). Remove the meat for the oven, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice the lamb, sprinkle it with a touch of coarse sea salt, and serve.


Pan-Roasted Striped Bass
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp peanut oil
4 center-cut-striped-bass fillets (1inch thick, 6oz each), with skin on
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Coarse sea salt
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dry the fillets thoroughly with paper towels (this will help keep the skin crisp), season them wish kosher salt and pepper on both sides, and then add them, skin side down, to the skillet. Reduce the heat (The oil should sizzle, not sputter) and cook the fillets until the skin becomes crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn the fillets and gently brown the other side, about 3 more minutes.
2. Add the butter and thyme. Continue cooking, turning the fillets once or twice so they brown evenly, and basting with the lightly browned butter. Cook until the fish is opaque, about 4 minutes. Serve at once, drizzled with the browned butter and sprinkled with coarse sea salt.

Summer Vegetable Ragout
Ingredients: Asparagus, snap peas, green beans fava beans, wax beans, peas,
Bok choy, Swiss chard (leaves and stems cooked separately), celery
Shallots, leeks (white parts only), zucchini, yellow squash, pattypan
Squash and carrots.
½ cup unsalted butter
2 oz prosciutto (optional), cut into 4 pieces
1-2 Tbsp chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as tarragon, chervil thyme
Parsley and chives)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 radishes, thinly sliced
¼ cup vegetable sprouts (such as broccoli, radish, or alfalfa)
1. Clean, trim and cut vegetables into bite-sized pieces
2. Cook each vegetable separately in boiling, salted water until tender. Then refresh in cold water and drain. Combine them in a bowl.
3. Boil half an inch of water in a medium pan. Reduce heat to medium low and whisk in the butter a little a time. Mix in the prosciutto and the cooked vegetables, coating with butter. Add the herbs, salt and pepper, cherry tomatoes and radishes, and simmer until the vegetables are just heated through. Divide among four bowls.